Family Affair
by hiddenwriter691
Summary: One thing that I have always hated about Star Wars is that Luke and Leia never really knew about their parents. Luke doesn't know about how amazing his dad was. Leia doesn't know how much she is like her mother. I'm sticking to the plot as close as I can.
1. The Life and Secrets of R2D2

I don't own it! Sadly…

Author's Note: There is a section of this exactly from the movie. So it obviously belongs to George Lucas. And if anyone sees any time line errors, please tell me and I'll try to fix it.

Chapter 1 – The Life and Secrets of R2D2

Luke held his wrench in his right hand as he searched Artoo with his left. He couldn't find anything _wrong_ with the droid. He knew something was wrong though.

He had been flying his X-Wing out of Coruscant when Artoo started malfunctioning. Artoo was the one who had the coordinates to his destination. The X-Wing lost its auto-piloting capabilities as soon as Artoo went mental…

Luckily, Luke could pilot the thing back himself.

He looked at the never ending mass of wires that was Artoo. The Force wasn't much help here, seeing as he had no idea what was wrong with his friend.

"Can't you tell if there's anything different, Artoo?" Luke asked the droid for the fiftieth time.

He buzzed a negative.

Luke was just about to give up when he saw a chip. It was tiny, barely noticeable. It was attached to Artoo's main memory hub. He dropped his large wrench and reached in with his hand.

"Do you know where this chip came from?" Luke asked.

Artoo trilled a no.

Luke placed his fingernail under the chip and pulled. It was in there tight. He pulled one more time, sending sparks of discomfort up the nerves in his arm as his nail was pulled back.

But the chip had loosened marginally. After tugging at it for a while, the chip popped out into Luke's hand.

As soon as the chip completely disconnected, Artoo began trilling and chirping nonstop. For a brief moment, Luke panicked that he had removed some vital software from the droid. Then a hologram blasted out from Artoo.

"What in the…?" Luke started then stopped.

In the holo there were two people. There was a man with long sandy blonde curls wearing a dark black tunic and pants. He was holding the other, a woman, as if she might disappear if he let go. She was very beautiful, with dark brown locks of hair pulled into two buns on either side of her head. She wore an equally black dress. She held the man with the same urgency and longing as him. They weren't looking at the droid as they were recorded.

"Artoo, did these people know that you were recording them?" Luke asked.

Artoo made a noise that could have been emitted from a child who was just caught doing something he wasn't supposed to.

The sound on the holo cracked at first. Luke could see the pure...love on both of their faces. He felt slightly awkward, like he shouldn't be watching. Curiosity overpowered his moral compass though. Then the sound came through.

_"There were whispers that you'd been killed," the woman said softly, her fear reflected in her musical voice._

_"I'm alright," the man said, smiling almost childishly. The relief and happiness that he was with her was obvious. _

_"It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime," he whispered. "And it might have been...If the chancellor hadn't been kidnapped, I don't think they would've ever brought us back from the outer rim sieges."_

_The man closed the already short distance between the couple, trying to kiss her._

_"Wait, not here," she whispered to him. She looked worried._

_"Yes, here," he said seriously. "I'm tired of all this deception. I don't care if they know we're married."_

_"Anakin, don't say things like that." The woman looked at him with a soft reprimand. _

_He responded by pulling her into another embrace. The man pulled away, but not very far._

_"Are you alright? You're trembling." He took a breath. "What's going on?"_

_"Something wonderful has happened," she told him. She didn't look as if something wonderful had just happened._

_The man kept looking at her, giving her his complete attention._

_"Ani," she started, "I'm pregnant."_

_He looked surprised and shocked. _

_"That's," he said, looking at her and then down. She looked back worriedly. "That…that's wonderful."_

_He then found her eyes again. His smile betrayed none of the shock of earlier. He was happy, honestly happy. He looked almost like a child._

_"What're we gonna do?" The woman asked. She was obviously worried, but relieved by his response._

_He kept smiling. _

_"We're not gonna worry about anything right now. Alright?" He said lovingly. He put his hand against her cheek softly. "This is a happy moment." The woman gave him a small smile. "The happiest moment of my life." His smile was elated._

_Then they kissed._

The holo ended. Luke's breathing wasn't too great. He couldn't remember Jedi relaxation techniques for the life of him. _Anakin…_

The woman had definitely said Anakin. She was pregnant…the woman was going to have a child…

"Ar…Artoo," Luke stuttered. "What's the time stamp on that holo vid?"

Artoo trilled something that Luke couldn't understand.

"Threepio!" Luke shouted. He was suddenly very glad to be on Coruscant, where Threepio stayed with Leia.

The golden droid came in moments later.

"Yes, Master Luke? How can I be of service?" The droid's robotic voice asked.

"Translate what Artoo says," Luke said, anxious for his information.

"Of course, Master Luke."

Luke looked back to Artoo.

"What's the time stamp on that holo?" he asked urgently.

"Approximately 24 years ago, Master Luke."

Luke's breathing nearly stopped. He felt his heart rate go higher than ever before. Even in battle, he had used relaxation techniques to slow his breathing. He felt a dull pain in his finger.

He looked down and realized he had been gripping the chip so savagely that it pierced his finger. The chip.

Someone must have put that chip on Artoo to block his memories of…of who? This was simply more evidence toward the identity of the man and woman from the holo. Who else's past would someone go to the trouble to hide?

"Artoo, who was your master when this holo was recorded?" Luke asked the droid.

Artoo trilled and beeped.

"Well, Artoo, that's quite impossible. Why would a simple droid such as you belong to him? It's a terrible thing to say," Threepio talked down to Artoo.

"No, Threepio, what did he say?" Luke insisted, feeling out of the loop.

Artoo trilled at Threepio rather indignantly and a little haughtily.

"I beg your pardon! Artoo Detoo, to suggest such a thing is completely insulting!"

Artoo rolled his video socket.

Luke looked to Threepio.

"Threepio, will you please inform me what you two are talking about?" Luke asked as pleasantly as possible. He knew the droid would not respond to a command.

Threepio gave a robotic sigh.

"Artoo Detoo suggests that his master at the time was a Jedi Anakin Skywalker, later to become Darth Vader." Threepio gave the robotic equivalent of a scoff. "Then he went on to suggest that I, C-3PO, Human-Cyborg Relations, was made by him."

"Darth Vader made Threepio?" Luke asked the droid.

Artoo gave a response in the positive that Luke didn't need a translation to.

"You are not honestly suggesting that I was made by Darth Vader?" Threepio asked indignantly.

Luke wasn't listening to the droid.

"Artoo, was Threepio with you back then?" Luke asked.

Threepio started objecting. Artoo beeped a positive. Threepio started arguing that he most certainly was not there.

"You could easily have been mind-wiped, Threepio," Luke told the droid. "Artoo's memories were blocked by this chip."

"Well why wasn't he mind-wiped then?" Threepio asked.

"Someone must've placed the chip so that the memories _couldn't_ be wiped. If they couldn't be found, they couldn't be wiped. You must've just been wiped."

An urgent knocking came from his door. "Luke!" Leia shouted, sounding worried.

"Come in," he told her.

She was already coming in though. Leia looked around, as if she expected for there to be an attacker in the room. Then she saw Luke kneeling next to Artoo, not in any danger at all.

"What's going on, Luke? I could…_sense_ you. You were anxious or stunned." She started to look unsure of herself. "At least, I think you were."

Luke smiled honestly.

"Good job, Leia. You were right."

Leia looked pleased with herself, and then she realized that she was happy about knowing Luke was worried.

"What's wrong, Luke?" She asked, walking toward him and kneeling next to him.

Luke realized that she would understand his shock and his anxiousness. She would get it, because she was his sister.

"Leia, I…I have to show you something…something amazing."


	2. Forgiveness

I still don't own any of this… well, maybe the storyline but anything that you recognize, it sure isn't mine. It's all George Lucas's.

AN- I stand by my note from chapter 1. If there's a time line issue, just tell me. Other than that, enjoy! And review, reviews make me happy. But please, don't burn me or anything. That would scare me.

Also, the plot of the story will be starting in chapter three so bear with me please!

Forgiveness

Leia was confused. She left a meeting because she was positive that Luke was in trouble. He was supposed to be off the planet. Then she sensed him not only still on Coruscant but on Coruscant with a speeding heart rate.

"What is it Luke? It's not like you to get worried about…things other than life threatening."

Luke smiled apologetically.

"Yes, that is true," he admitted. "But this is amazing. You have to see this, Leia."

Luke turned to Artoo. "What's the earliest vid you have on him?" He asked the droid.

Artoo trilled.

"Approximately 37 years ago, Master Luke," Threepio translated.

Luke's jaw dropped.

"Who is it a video of, Luke?" Leia asked.

Luke did not expect this at all. He couldn't have hoped for better. The one thing he didn't know enough about. His father. His mother as well, it seemed. He grinned at his sister.

"Artoo knew him, Leia! He _owned_ Artoo!" Luke said excitedly.

Leia stared at her brother, uncomprehending.

"Luke, you are honestly scaring me. What's wrong with you?" Leia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He was so…normal. He was…he," Luke stopped as he realized something. "He wanted us, Leia."

Leia furrowed her eyebrows.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"He was honestly happy when he found out…I never thought…" Luke was grinning wildly. He looked almost like a young child who got rewarded for being good.

"He loved her…I wasn't sure he _could_ love." Luke sat back, falling into his own thoughts.

"LUKE!" Leia yelled.

Luke snapped his head up, as if he had forgotten she was even there.

"I missed a stupid meeting to check on you because I thought something was _wrong_ with you! What is going on?!" Leia yelled, getting annoyed with his ramblings.

Luke's eyes widened. His sister was a force to be reckoned with when she was angry.

"I'm so sorry. I'm just…it's amazing. Let me show you."

Luke wanted to see a new video. He wanted to learn something new about Anakin Skywalker. However, he had no way of knowing what video Artoo would show. Luke surely didn't want Leia to see one in which he was bad. She had such a hard time accepting their father's goodness.

"Artoo, play the holo you just played for me?" Luke asked.

Automatically, the video started. Luke watched intently again. He was glad to watch it again, this time with the knowledge that this was, in fact, his father. Luke forgot that he had wanted to see Leia's reaction completely.

This time, as Anakin shifted, Luke saw his lightsaber dangle from his side. Luke smiled as he saw it.

When the hologram ended, Luke looked at his sister.

Her face was clear of emotion. She was in thought, deep thought. Then, a realization came over her. She looked sharply at Luke, startled.

"Surely Luke, that wasn't…was it?" She demanded.

"That was Anakin Skywalker, our father." Luke nodded.

Leia was shaking her head.

"That can't be him, Luke."

Luke frowned. He didn't understand. How could it not be him?

"Leia, the video is 24 years old. His name is Anakin. His wife was pregnant…I saw his lightsaber this time. It has to be him. There isn't anyone else it could be." Luke took her shoulders gently. "Did you see our mother? She _looks_ like you. Or rather, _you_ look like _her_."

Leia bit her lip.

"He tortured me. I…I just can't believe that's the same man," Leia said, shaking.

Luke winced. He sat next to Leia and put an arm around her. She was trembling in her remembrances.

"All of us who are close with the Force," Luke started softly, "…you, me, our father…we have the ability to tap into the Force. Anakin Skywalker made wrong decisions. It could happen to us too, Leia, very easily. Regular humans--like Han—can make bad decisions without the consequence of becoming consumed by evil. Because of our connection to the Force, we fall harder and faster, we fall into the Dark Side of the Force. It's why being a Jedi has always been so structured. All it takes is a bad decision and we succumb to the Dark Side.

"Anakin was good. I know he was. I saw it." Luke paused and then said it again, solidifying it for him and Leia. "I saw it. And now you've seen it. That's what he was. In that holo."

Leia looked to the spot where the hologram had been projected.

"But Luke," she whispered, "Why would someone good go so very bad then?"

Luke sighed. He wanted to know the same thing. He knew that his father went bad. He knew that he had been good. In between that though, he had no clue what happened. It must have been within the eight months after that holo though. He didn't know he had twin children so he obviously wasn't there for the birth.

"I hope we can find that out."

Leia looked pained. She shivered.

"He killed so many people," she said.

Luke realized now why it was so hard for her. Alderaan...

"Leia, I know that the old Anakin would have murdered anyone who tortured his daughter. It's what he did to the person who tortured his son," Luke said, flinching at the remembrance. "If that's not proof he changed, I don't know what is."

Leia looked at Luke. Darth Vader had tortured both of them. Luke had been tortured with the knowledge of who his father was, had his hand cut off, and had to survive Force lightening. Leia shivered with the thoughts of her own torture. Not only physical torture, but he made her watch her home planet as it was destroyed. Part of her felt worse for Luke.

Darth Vader knew Luke was his son and still did all those things.

Yet it was Luke who could accept him so much easier.

"How do you forgive him, Luke?" She asked.

Luke smiled slightly, looking far off, as if into the past.

"It was when I saw his face, when I took off his mask. His eyes… I could see the pain and shame. He looked vulnerable and apologetic. I could see that childish smile from the holo hidden behind the scars as he saw _me_." Luke sighed. "The way he looked…I'm positive he fell to the Dark Side when he was vulnerable…And his eyes seemed as if he had just awoken from a deep sleep. In his eyes, I saw him come back to the Light. I saw Anakin."

Leia had never seen her brother look so sad. She took his hand and felt the cold metal through his skin.

"And you forgave him for everything?" She asked.

"I don't know why he went bad Leia. But I know he--I don't know how to put this --I know he didn't mean to. Don't get me wrong, it was entirely his fault, and he knows that. But he sort of fell into it or something. Perhaps he thought he was doing the right thing…" Luke trailed off, knowing he could theorize for hours.

"But, maybe, just maybe, Artoo can show us. I have to know. And maybe we can find out something about our mother. We don't even know her name." Luke started to get anxious to watch the holograms.

Leia started thinking again.

"There's something else. I think I've seen her before. The woman…our mother. I don't know where exactly," she said, still thinking. "I bet I could figure it out."

"Or…" Luke said, kneeling in front of Artoo, "We can watch another holo."


	3. Desperately Wanting Something

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. I'm not that brilliant.

A/N: Hope you like it!

Chapter 3- Desperately Wanting Something

"Will you play another holo of Anakin, Artoo?" Luke asked, his voice revealing his excitement.

Artoo whistled an affirmative.

The sound of Artoo's projection hummed. It was another video of Anakin. He had short hair in this frame. All except for a single braid that fell down the left side of his tunic. He seemed much younger in this hologram than the previous, and he was grinning at something.

Before Anakin could say anything, the holo flickered and died.

Luke felt a distinctive feeling of dread in his stomach.

"Siths! Artoo, what's wrong?" Luke asked.

Artoo trilled, relaying his confusion.

"Artoo Detoo does not know what is wrong. He found no malfunction," Threepio told Luke.

The golden droid turned to Artoo and spoke. "Obviously, if there was no malfunction then you would be functioning."

Luke murmured to himself as he looked into Artoo's circuitry. He felt miserable quite honestly. He had made the mistake of getting his hopes up. He wanted to _understand_ about his father so badly.

Luke couldn't remember ever feeling quite so disappointed.

"Luke, I'm sorry," Leia said, obviously not as saddened as him.

Luke understood of course. But it made him feel lonelier to know that there wasn't anyone to share in this with him. If only Leia could understand…

"There's no reason why this shouldn't work, though. Look, the main circuit board…" Luke went off on a descriptive explanation of why Artoo shouldn't be malfunctioning.

Leia couldn't understand half of it, but she felt his disappointment coming off of him in waves.

"Luke," Leia put her hand on his shoulder.

He stopped his riffling through the droid instantly. Leaving his hand resting in the droid, he dropped his head onto Artoo. Artoo trilled in alarm, but Luke didn't move.

"Ugh," Luke groaned. "I just wanted to believe…I wanted to know, Leia."

"I know you did. But look at it this way, maybe we can research for information about our mother. I swear that I've seen her before. It's better than nothing. Now that I know what she looks like…" Leia trailed off, just hoping that her words would make Luke feel fractionally better.

"It's just that…even if we could find information on her, it wouldn't be the same. The archives don't tell you about people's lives or really _who _they were. Plus, they kept their marriage a secret. So there isn't information about them," Luke said, disappointment tugging at him still.

"We already knew that Luke. We've searched 'Skywalker' in the archives. There were no females with the name," Leia reminded.

"I know, but there _has_ to be a way to get Artoo to play the holos," Luke said, lifting his head and renewing his search in the wires and metal.

All of the sudden, the Force filled all of Luke's senses. It wasn't Leia, though he could still sense her close behind him. It was a completely empowering feeling, unlike anything Luke had ever felt.

He could still feel Artoo's wires in his hand, though the weight of them was becoming almost nonexistent.

A feeling akin to falling overtook him. He still sensed Leia's presence, though it was getting distant. He knew logically that he should be afraid, that he should ask Leia what was happening.

But the Force dampened any fear. There was no danger.

He wondered for a moment if he had been electrocuted before the world went black.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luke felt cold metal floor below him. That was the first thing he noticed. It was smooth, unlike his room on Coruscant, which was tiled. He laid there for a moment trying to feel whether he was hurt.

His analysis came to nothing. He was not injured, nor was he sure exactly where he was.

He used the Force to scan the world around him for anything, any sort of clue as to where he was. He did not sense anything more than circuitry. There was still no danger.

Luke opened his eyes and sat up. He felt slightly disoriented, like he was waking up on another planet with a slightly different gravity.

He instinctively reached for his lightsaber, just to make sure it was there. Its cold metal was slightly comforting.

Luke took in the room around him. The room was obviously where someone lived. There was a bed in the corner with a simple blanket over it. There was a small kitchen and a single couch.

He knew that this was only one person's room, a very conservative person's room. He was struck with the thought that the person who lived here was transitory, never here for long periods of time and never called this room home.

He stood and looked around for any clue as to where he was. He was obviously not brought here as prisoner. He was not chained nor was his weapon taken away. Unless the capturer was completely stupid, which Luke found unlikely.

Snapping him out of his musings was the feeling of approaching people, two of them, in fact. The feeling of them was slightly familiar, as if Luke had crossed their paths once or twice, which he had done with many people.

He heard the hum of their conversation as they drew closer. He found it unlikely that they were heading toward this room, so he stayed silent in hopes that they would pass him by.

Luke started to discern phrases of what they said. It sounded like one was amused while the other was reprimanding him for some action.

The voice of the amused person stopped abruptly.

"Master, there's someone in your room," he said, a tenseness overcame his voice.

"What are you talking about?" The other, older, voice asked.

"Don't you sense it?" He asked.

"No, I think—" The voice cut off. "Oh," he said.

Luke tensed. How could they sense him?! He fingered his lightsaber but didn't do anything.

The door burst open as the more boisterous of the companions jumped into the room. His lightsaber-- a piercing blue-- whizzed through the half-light of the room.

The man's eyes settled on Luke. Their blue intensity was magnified by the lightsaber he held threateningly and ready to attack.

"Who are you?" The man demanded.

Luke did not even realize it when his jaw dropped. He was utterly and wholly shocked.

"If you would take a moment to observe a situation _before_ you brandish your weapon, young padawaan, you would realize that this man is a Jedi. Or did you miss his lightsaber?" The older man asked, rhetorically and just a little condescendingly.

The man straightened his figure out of an attack position. He clicked his saber off and dropped his arms. He still remained on edge, not trusting the foreign Jedi.

"Who are you?" He asked again, less demanding, but just as serious.

Luke had almost missed the young man's words entirely. He had been entirely focused on his face. He had blue eyes set into a sharply angled and youthful face. His sandy blonde hair was cut short except for a braid that currently fell behind his ear. He was tall and broad, but not completely grown.

He was Anakin Skywalker.


	4. The Mysterious Ways of Master Yoda

It belongs to Master George Lucas!

hehe

Chapter 4: The Mysterious Ways of Master Yoda

Luke grasped for something to say, for it was a very real possibility that Anakin would draw his lightsaber again.

"I…I'm Luke. Luke…" He sought for a last name, _any_ last name that he could use. "Walker."

He wanted to slap himself as soon as he said it. _Luke Walker?_ If these two Jedi did not see though his lie, he would be supremely surprised.

"Walker?" Skywalker asked, raking Luke, sizing him up with his eyes.

"Yes," Luke said, barely holding back a groan at his idiocy.

"I've never heard of you," Anakin said, raising his eyebrow suspiciously.

"I'm from the Outer Rim," Luke said. It wasn't a complete lie, seeing as he grew up on Tatooine.

Anakin's companion then stepped forward. A wave of emotion came over Luke before he could block it with his Jedi senses.

_Ben?_

Seeing his old mentor in the flesh, Luke nearly forgot about his father in light of the man who rescued him from Tatooine, the man who had been somewhat of a father to him.

Anakin kept his eyes on Luke, not trusting the Jedi at all. Why was he reacting to Obi-Wan this way?

"What brings you to my quarters?" Obi-Wan asked. He would never be as rude as to intrude upon another Jedi's thoughts.

Luke's throat was unreasonably dry, but he blocked every stray thought or emotion from getting to these two men.

"I was going to see…" A bolt of inspiration struck him. "Master Yoda. He's expecting me. Must've taken a wrong turn. I apologize."

"Perfectly alright, Jedi Walker," Obi-Wan said, very politely.

"Wait, wait!" Anakin put in. "You're a Jedi, you had to have come here for your Trials. Why would you get lost? You've been here!"

"I suppose at the time I had more on my mind than the schematics of Coruscant," Luke said, calmly. "Other than then, I rarely visit this planet."

Anakin was only marginally sated.

"I'm coming with you," he said. "If Master Yoda knows who you are, I'll back off."

"Honestly Anakin, how else would he have a lightsaber?" Obi-Wan asked, looking exasperated.

Anakin's face darkened. "He could've killed a Jedi."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Well, if I'm going to be deprived of my sleep, I suppose we best get on with it."

Anakin walked out of the room first, with an air of leadership.

Luke followed silently. He was grateful for Anakin's mistrust because Luke had no idea where the Jedi Temple was.

While Anakin had been less than hospitable, Luke knew that it was nothing like facing Vader. Waves of hate and anger had rolled off of Darth Vader, strangling Luke. All except for the small piece of goodness that Luke had felt in his heart.

This was different. The suspicion was only surface deep, not permeating Anakin's very soul and suffocating Luke. Luke felt the Light Side radiating off of his father. It was almost enough to make Luke forget who he would become.

As Luke watched the back of his father, he realized that he carried himself much like Luke himself. He kept his lightsaber hand just slightly stiffer than the other, ready to draw the blade if needed.

It was then Luke realized, with a start, that Anakin had not yet lost his hand. It was still flesh, and Luke knew that the technology on his own hand had not been perfected yet.

Obi-Wan fell in step beside Luke.

"Who was your master, Jedi Walker?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Luke, you can call me Luke," He told him. "My master…" Luke didn't have to fake the emotion. "My master was killed."

Obi-Wan nodded, hearing truth in his words. He smiled at the back of Anakin's head.

"I trust you did not kill him. Or should I be as alarmed as my padawan?" Obi-Wan asked, obviously used to Anakin's antics.

"No," Luke told him, smiling. "I did not kill my Master."

Luke found it twistedly amusing. It was Anakin who would end up killing his _and_ Luke's Master.

They entered the temple, and Luke's jaw dropped. He suddenly regretted that he never got to study to be a Jedi here. It was magnificent, and never in Luke's life had he felt so much of the Light Side of the Force overcome him.

He sensed at least a hundred other Jedi. Luke nearly stopped just to absorb it all. He wasn't alone here.

_Here…_

He was in the past. How in the name of all the Jedi Masters and Sith Lords had Luke ended up here?

Luke nearly ran into Anakin because they had stopped in the middle of his musings. Anakin merely glanced at him before opening the door.

Luke, of course, sensed Master Yoda before seeing him.

The little green creature was meditating. Anakin walked to the center of the circle of chairs, which were all empty except for the middle one in which Yoda was sitting.

"Ah, young Skywalker," Yoda said.

Luke was apprehensive. He only had the Force to rely on here. No plan whatsoever.

Yoda's round eyes opened at gave Anakin his attention.

"Master," Anakin said, his voice showing his respect for the old Jedi. "I have brought a Luke Walker here. He says he is a Jedi and here to see you. I must, for my own peace of mind, know whether he is trustworthy."

"Learn to trust the Force you must. Anakin, sense evil on Luke…" Amusement betrayed Yoda's voice "…Walker you do?"

Anakin's eyes flickered to Luke, then back to the Jedi Master. "No, I sense no evil, Master."

"So insinuating the Force is wrong are you?" Yoda asked.

"No," Anakin drew out the word. "I'm sorry, Master," he told Yoda.

He turned to Luke, giving him a full blast of just how much they looked alike. He nodded at him, which Luke took as an apology.

"I'll see you around Skywalker," Luke told him.

A look of amusement crossed Anakin's face. "Yeah, Walker," he whispered back.

As soon as Obi-Wan and Anakin closed the doors, Luke turned to Yoda.

"You know who I am?" Luke asked the question, but it was more of a statement.

"Young Skywalker, Young_er_ Skywalker you are," Yoda said, nodding, his round eyes closing slightly.

"How?" Luke asked, even though he wasn't all that surprised.

"Foreseen you I have. Disconcerting is it, that a Jedi's child you are. The Jedi who is your father, surprising, it is not."

Luke smiled. "How much do you know, Master?"

"Son of Anakin Skywalker you are. Twin sister in the Force you have. What you accomplish and why it is so hard, I know not…Clouds my vision, the Dark Side does," Yoda said, his voice waning as the Master fell into meditation.

"I am not a Sith, Master Yoda."

"Said you were a Sith Lord I did not, Young Skywalker. Hides _all_ of the future the Dark Side does."

Luke nodded. "Do you know how I am here, Master?"

"I know not."

"Have you ever heard of a time-traveler, Master Yoda?"

"Believe time-traveling is impossible, I do," Yoda said.

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Not to say you're wrong, but Master, _I'm_ here. Does that not qualify?"

"Prove the possibility of time-travel it does."

"Yes, but you just…" Luke stopped, not wishing to understand Yoda at all. "What should I do?"

"Place trust in the Force, you must. Explore your feelings. What brought you here, you must find out," Master Yoda said, his eyes completely closing.

"But, Master, what about my father? I've never…Do I pretend not to know him? Or do I avoid him altogether."

Luke had no want to avoid his father, but if Master Yoda advised it he would.

"Trust the Force," Yoda said.

Just then Anakin came back into the chambers. He commanded attention to himself just by the way he walked, with his Master at his tail.

"You called, Master Yoda?" He asked, not looking at Luke.

"Help young Walker to an empty room you will. Provide assistance to Obi-Wan and your mission, he will," Yoda said, much to Anakin's surprise.

"Not to offend Jedi Luke, but we don't need any help, Master."

Obi-Wan glared daggers at Anakin.

"I ask forgiveness for my padawan. We would be happy for the assistance," Obi-Wan said, bowing to Yoda.

Obi-Wan grabbed Anakin's arm and lead him out. Luke looked back to Yoda, who looked as if he finally sank into meditation. After a second's hesitation, Luke followed after the squabbling Master and Padawan.

A/N: This chapter was sorta dull, but I needed to establish the Yoda and Luke stuff. And no worries, Leia's not gone!


	5. The Senator and the Princess

I don't own all these amazing characters…Luke, Leia, Annie, Padme…sadly. George Lucas owns it.

A/N: In the past chapters, I've been writing the nickname for Anakin as Ani. I just found out that it's Annie. So I will be spelling it as such from now on. Sorry for the mistake. Oh yeah, and Anakin's braid is on the right side, not left. I know it's a tiny detail but I like my details.

Chapter 5- The Senator and the Princess

Leia awoke to a similar situation as Luke. She was flat on her stomach and felt disoriented. The floor was cold and metal beneath her.

She jumped to her feet, drawing her weapon instinctively. Leia scanned the area around her. It was a hallway. She heard the sound of people from one end of the hall.

Leia headed that direction, lowering her weapon but staying aware. When she reached the last room, it was bustling with people. She peered around the corner into the room.

"Naboo cruiser _Starlight_ requesting permission to land. Landing code 5 alpha 7," A crackling voice spoke through the comms of the traffic control.

A man, obviously of rank, pushed a button by the speaker. "Permission granted."

As soon as he released the button he yelled, "This is the Senator everyone! I want confirmation of all guards stationed around the landing pad! Landing crew, ready?!"

One man turned to head in Leia's direction. She ducked out of the way just in time and into a closet. Her heart was beating fast. She had no idea where she was at all. And apparently there was a Senator coming.

Her wartime espionage kicked in as she saw an outfit identical to the man who ran toward her. She quickly changed into the air traffic guard uniform, aware that someone could easily open the door to the closet. She left her soft white gown behind.

Leia tucked her blaster into the holster and left the closet. She ran in the direction of the man, down the hall. At an intersection of hallways, she looked left and right. Something told her to head right so she did.

She heard men yelling orders back and forth in another half of a minute.

Then she emerged onto a gangway in open air. Ahead of her she saw the landing pad. In the distance, flying in, was a great silver ship that had an authoritative and intimidating feel about it. Three yellow and silver fighters that Leia had never seen before were flying in as a guard to the ship.

Leia ran out to the landing pad. She glanced around at the landing crew. They were all ready for the landing. Leia took a position and waited, trying to appear useful. The ship and its three protectors landed without any sort of drama.

Then Leia felt a tingle trickle down her spine. Something was wrong. She knew it as clearly as she knew when Luke was injured on Bespin. She just knew.

The first thing she realized was that the real Senator was not on the ship, but in one of the small yellow fighters. The second thing she knew was that it was a very good thing the Senator was not on the ship because it was doomed. While she wasn't very confident in her own ability to use the Force, she didn't question it often. So she didn't question this.

The closest fighter pilot was already out of his fighter. Leia ran toward the dark skinned human. He had a metal patch over his left eye.

"Sir!" Leia addressed him.

The man turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Commander Typho," he corrected.

"Sorry, Commander, but something bad is about to happen," she told him desperately.

"What?" He asked, looking sharply at her.

"The cruiser, it's about to be destroyed!" Leia warned.

"Commander, what's going on?" A soft familiar voice asked from behind Leia.

Commander Typho straightened a little. "Senator, this guard tells me that the ship is in danger."

Leia started to turn toward the Senator when every bit of her flared in alarm. The Force was sending a clear warning.

"Take cover!" Leia yelled, desperately, as an explosion rocked the landing pad.

Leia was knocked to the ground. She stayed down as the blast resounded in her ears. She heard screams that made her remember the Empire. She got up as quickly as she could.

Leia looked amidst the smoke and coughed. Someone below her was shuffling to her feet. "Senator, are you alright?" Leia asked. "Commander?"

The Senator had jumped to her feet and started running toward the landing pad before Leia could see her. Commander Typho ran after her. Leia followed them.

"Corde?" The Senator asked, desperately, her voice sad. She held the woman.

Leia felt the pain of the woman dressed as royalty. She knew exactly who Corde was. She was a decoy. Leia had heard of it done often enough, as she was a princess herself.

The woman's loyalty was deep, obviously. "I'm sorry, M'lady. I'm… not sure I…I've failed you, Senator."

The Senator was shaking her head, even after the woman had died. "No," the Senator whispered twice, the second time more desperate.

"Commander," Leia said, tugging the man's clothing. "It's still dangerous."

The Commander nodded. He leaned down to the Senator. "M'lady… you are still in danger here."

The Senator stood and stared at the wreckage of the ship. "I shouldn't have come back," she said, her voice cracking.

Commander Typho breathed. "This vote is very important," he told her. "You did your duty-- and Corde did hers. Now come."

Leia knew that this was the correct thing for a commander to say. However, she also knew that when someone dies for you, you feel incredibly guilty. Soldiers can say it was their duty all they want, it still hurts.

"Senator, Corde does not regret what she has done for you. Do not take her sacrifice in vain," Leia told the woman, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Senator Amidala, please," Commander Typho begged. He was desperate now.

_Amidala?_ The name sent wheels turning in Leia's mind. Before she could really think about it, Leia heard a whistling noise coming out of the smoke. Then she saw a small, extremely familiar droid rolling toward them.

"Artoo?" Leia questioned.

The little droid whistled a confused noise.

The Senator turned toward Leia. "How do you know Artoo?" She asked.

Leia's jaw dropped. The woman was very, very familiar. She had dark brown hair, fancily done in many bands. While she wore the clothing of a pilot, she had a regal authority in her voice and stance. Her brown eyes held Leia in a piercing and questioning gaze.

"I—" Leia started, and then stopped, unsure what to say.

"M'lady, we must go," Commander Typho pressed.

The Senator looked at the Commander briefly. "Of course. But I want her with me," the Senator said, motioning toward Leia.

The Commander only wavered a second. "As you wish," he acquiesced.

The two women followed. Leia kept on her royal face, even though she was completely afraid right now. She had certain ways that she dealt with certain situations. If things didn't happen right, she didn't know quite what to do.

For example, falling in love with a smuggling pilot had never been in a plan.

This was another one of those moments:

How exactly was one to deal with meeting their long-dead mother?


	6. At Least Another Five Meters!

George Lucas! (It's his.)

So guys, been watching Star Wars 2, I'm not exactly positive how much time there is between Obi-Wan and Anakin arriving back to Coruscant and then to guarding Padme. So for this story's sake, they were on Coruscant at least two days before Padme got there. Over and out. (Thus, ch 5 and ch 6 ARE NOT taking place at the same time.) Review, please. 

Chapter 6- At Least Another 5 Meters

Anakin and Obi-Wan fell into a somewhat childish silence, neither wanted to back down off their bickering. Luke decided to intercede now.

"So Master Obi-Wan…Anakin, what's your mission?"

Obi-Wan seemed glad to speak.

"It's not a mission, per say. Actually, there have been multiple threats to the senators around the city, not extremely major right now. But there is a vote soon on creating a new Army for the Republic, so the senators will be arriving from their respective systems. We will be hunting and ready to defend in any attack," Obi-Wan said.

"In other words, it's a fluff mission until something important comes along," Anakin mumbled, disgruntled.

"It is _not_ a 'fluff mission.' Every mission is important and vital, and you must learn to treat each as such, young padawan, regardless of your opinion on the matter!" Obi-Wan said, sighing in resignation.

"Yes, Master," Anakin forced out.

Obi-Wan smiled at him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Besides, did you not hear of the senator who is arriving soon?" He asked.

Anakin still seemed irked about their argument. "No," he said shortly.

Obi-Wan pretended not to notice his padawan's reluctance. "Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo."

Luke saw and felt his father's reaction. Excitement, nervousness, and sheer joy radiated off of Anakin. "Padme?" Anakin questioned, smiling.

"Yes," Obi-Wan said, "I know you developed somewhat of a friendship with the ex-Queen. Qui-Gon seemed to like her enough, as well. I thought you would be pleased to further her safety."

Anakin nodded. "I am," He said.

Anakin's whole disposition changed. He stopped being so melancholy in two seconds flat. "Alright then, Luke. What quarters shall we place you in?" Anakin asked, cheerfully.

Luke had no idea who this woman was. He wondered if she was his mother. Then again, that would mean he was related to _royalty_. Maybe Leia inherited her natural authoritativeness from her? But Luke dismissed the thought. He simply couldn't see the possibility of a Jedi and Senator, both prominent figures, somehow getting married and having children without being found out.

Anakin and Obi-Wan lead him to a room as empty and simple as Obi-Wan's room. He didn't have any luggage, which the two did not see as odd for a Jedi. Luke mentioned in passing that he was planning on buying new robes, as his on his old planet were old.

"So then, we need to fly around the city, make sure there aren't any disturbances," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin nodded. "As long as we fly," he said.

"Oh, may the Force be with us all," Obi-Wan said, rolling his eyes.

They headed to the ship hangar bay. Luke remembered that the New Republic was extremely lacking in ships these days. He saw now the Old Republic did not have that problem.

Anakin and Obi-Wan split, Anakin going for some sleeker, faster looking, ships. Luke walked with Anakin. Obi-Wan seemed to notice that his hunt for ships was a solitary one.

"Anakin, this is business, not a speed race," Obi-Wan said, catching up to them.

"Of course, Master," Anakin said, changing nothing in his hunt for ships.

His master sighed.

"Maybe Luke can go with me, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, glancing warily at Luke and Anakin.

Anakin shook his head. "Living in the Outer Rim, he's probably only seen fighting. If there's one person who can give an intro to _recreational _flying, it's me."

"If your definition of recreation is death, then I agree with you wholly," Obi-Wan said. "Anyway, we aren't flying for recreation today. Or did you forget?"

"No one said you can't have fun on the job," Anakin said, grinning. "Come on, Luke."

Seeing Obi-Wan's obvious fear of Anakin's flying ability made Luke a little uneasy. Obi-Wan faced Darth Vader and death fearlessly. But Anakin's flying scared him.

"What're we gonna fly?" Luke asked, glancing at the ships around him.

"That," Anakin said, pointing.

It was a rusted yellow, open topped speeder. Anakin jumped into the pilot's seat. Luke didn't see anything special about the thing. He jumped into the other of the two front seats.

Anakin flipped all of the switches on the board imperceptibly fast, powering up the ship. Luke, who considered himself a good pilot, was impressed with his adeptness. Then again, Luke had never flown anything like this.

They each put a communicator link in their ear.

Obi-Wan had already started to move his ship toward the opening of the hangar.

Anakin cut off Obi-Wan's small, open-topped ship, A sigh over their com-links could be heard.

"I feel you will be the death of me, Anakin," Obi-Wan's crackly voice came through.

Luke stiffened in the passenger seat. A wave of sadness came over him. Obi-Wan felt it…

Anakin simply laughed.

They left the bay and were far above the city ground. Anakin veered smoothly and sharply to the left.

"Here's where the fun begins," Anakin whispered outside of the com-link to Luke.

Luke gave him a wary grin.

Anakin sensed his trepidation and laughed, "Where're you from anyhow? What planet, I mean?" Anakin asked. "You worry a lot. Big city overwhelming?"

Luke resented that a little. "No, actually, I consider myself a decent pilot. As for where I'm from, I—" Luke knew that his father had family on Tatooine, but there were tons of people on the planet. "I'm from Tatooine."

Anakin took his eyes from piloting. "You're kidding, so am I," he said.

Luke's eyes widened. "_You_ are?" It had never even crossed his mind that the once great Jedi, the future infamous Darth Vader, was from Tatooine!

"Yes. No wonder you're here. I would have done just about anything to get off of that godforsaken lump of sand."

Luke nodded. "I completely know what you mean."

Luke felt the mood shift in the craft.

"Did you ever come across any Skywalker while you were there? A woman?" Anakin asked, a hopeful sorrow in his eyes.

Luke furrowed his brow. "No, why?"

"My mother…I left here there for my Jedi training when I was nine," Anakin said, averting his eyes.

_My grandmother?_ Honestly Luke had never thought about family beyond his parents and sister, except for Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. Which one of them was Anakin related to? Where they even his aunt and uncle, or were they distant cousins? _Could my grandmother still be alive?_ In his attempt to hide Luke from Anakin, could Obi-Wan have passed over her?

"I know what you're thinking," Anakin said.

Luke's head shot to face Anakin, ready to lie if he must. "I—" Luke started.

"You're thinking that Jedi aren't supposed to have attachments," Anakin said.

Luke's eyes widened. He almost questioned Anakin, but caught himself. Luke had never heard of this rule. It seemed like a stupid one, for sure. And one that Anakin broke if he was married. This caused Luke a certain amount of discomfort. Should he model his New Jedi Order after this one? _No, this one failed!_ But did it fail because of that one rule, or did that rule make it stronger?

Luke already had some attachments: his sister, Han, his friends… Surely they didn't forbid friendship? Luke decided that his Order probably couldn't afford to loose any future Jedi, seeing as the force sensitivity was genetic.

Luke pulled the com-link away from his mouth.

"Sometimes," Luke started slowly, "The Jedi Order is wrong."

"THANK YOU!" Anakin yelled moving his com-link too, the speeder swerving as he let go of the handles. "A voice of reason! Don't get me wrong, I like the Order. Some of their rules though are just…_irrational!_"

Luke smiled. He expected this.

"Let's get this thing going," Anakin said, hitting a few switches.

The speeder tore through the traffic. Anakin swerved, looped, and dropped around every obstacle he could find. He "whooped" with adrenaline as they barely swerved out of the way of an oncoming freighter ship.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan reprimanded over the com-link.

"I'm being good, Master!" Anakin said, laughing.

"Hardly," Obi-Wan sighed.

Luke's heart was going way too fast for not being in a fight. Actually, he was fairly calm in a fight. This was beyond his control completely though. At the same time, the adrenaline rush was fun. It was rare that Luke got to fly for the fun of flying. Thus, he didn't complain about the daredevilish moves.

Anakin fell into a drop, completely vertical. Anakin and Luke both yelled, Anakin holding tight to the controls and Luke holding to the seat. Over the wind, the faint noise of Obi-Wan's protests could be heard.

Anakin pulled out of the drop smoothly.

"You had at least another five meters before you would've hit the ground!" Luke yelled laughing.

"Oh brother, why are you two together?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Oh?" Anakin asked. "Are you suggesting that_ you_ could do better?" Anakin's face was pure skepticism.

"Maybe," Luke said, grinning in challenge.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin said, in fake seriousness, "we're heading back…to get Luke a speeder. We have a score to settle."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Obi-Wan said, ominously.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Luke acclimated himself to the new craft quickly. He tried a few simple tricks just to make sure.

"Trying to scare me?" Anakin asked over the link.

"No, just practice," Luke said, humbly.

"We'll go to the big tower over there, I forget the name. The silver and bronze one, see it?" Anakin asked.

"Yeah," Luke told him, looking at the distance. It would be a minute-long race probably, with dodging traffic.

"And I will be following, so when you crash, I get you, either of you," Obi-Wan said dryly, not happy with the fact that he couldn't really stop them.

"Okay, ready," Anakin said.

"Set," Luke said.

"GO!" They yelled simultaneously.

Their speeders set off. Luke's identical, but red, speeder was just behind Anakin's. Luke looked around the dashboard and hit the booster, bringing him even with his father. Anakin glanced to the side and smiled in competition. "You can't beat me, Walker!"

Anakin weaved to the left. _Why did he pull…oh, siths!_ A ship was heading straight for him. He swerved at the last minute, making him fall behind Anakin.

They raced, Luke behind Anakin much of the way. When Anakin had to swerve to avoid another speeder, Luke fell into a weaving pattern with him. They looped around each other once.

Luke realized their mistake a second after he could fix it. They had both sped up to avoid a large slow ship about to cross their path and hadn't compensated for the other's new speed as they turned around the front of the large craft.

The crash was going to come quick. The noise of Obi-Wan's yelling irritated Luke's ear as he jumped out of his speeder. He saw Anakin's shift of movement out of the corner of his eye. Neither of them were going to clear the crash.

The ships blew up on impact, their fuels making a smoky hot fire. Luke felt the horrible heat and scraps from the ships hit him. Something very large hit him and disoriented his head. He landed on something hard.

The Force flowed quickly through his system. It helped him clear his concussed mind enough to crawl into Obi-Wan's cockpit. "I told you both. I told you…" Obi-Wan said, annoyed but worried.

Luke heard the noise of Anakin hitting the ship. He fell onto Luke in the passenger seat. "I hurt," He admitted.

"I told you," Obi-Wan said simply.

Luke couldn't see very clearly.

"Well, you're both going to the med-center on Coruscant."

The Skywalkers simultaneously groaned and then blacked out.


	7. The Mysterious Jedi

Disclaimer: I can't think of anything cute to say so just know that it is not mine. It belongs to a man by the name of George Lucas.

Sorry guys, but this is a short chapter. By the way, originally I had planned for this story to only be Luke and Leia, but Obi-Wan just fit here.

Chapter 7- The Mysterious Jedi

Obi-Wan leaned on the wall outside of the clean and sterile medical wing. He rolled his eyes for the fiftieth time. Anakin can be so reckless. Luke had seemed reserved at first, but he was just as irresponsible in this instance.

A medi-droid came to him. "Sir, both young Jedi are doing well. However an abnormality was found in Jedi Walker's examination," the robotic voice spoke.

"An abnormality?" Obi-Wan asked, straightening in curiosity.

"His right hand, Master Jedi, was replaced by a robotic hand some time ago. It was going to be tested for damage, however the technology in it supersedes anything the Republic has currently in the databanks."

Obi-Wan had heard Luke say he was from Tatooine. If there was one thing that Obi-Wan knew about Tatooine, it was that it was not advanced in anything whatsoever. How did Luke get a high-technology hand?

Or more pressing, how did he loose it in the first place?

"Can you tell anything about the original injury, the injury in which he lost the hand?" Obi-Wan asked.

"It was a clean removal. Coagulation from being burned still shows on his muscles and blood vessels under the synthflesh. Thus, the weapon of highest probability would be a lightsaber, Master."

Obi-Wan shivered. Darth Maul's red and black face passed through his thoughts. Could Luke have had a run in with the Sith Lord? Obi-Wan found it unlikely, but how else would the young Jedi have lost the limb? The only other possibility was an accident.

However, Obi-Wan had seen the boy's reaction time. He made it out of the doomed speeder at the same time as Anakin.

"Could you run a midichlorian count on Jedi Walker for me?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Of course, Master Jedi."

Obi-Wan resumed his leaning on the wall. He thought about Luke. The boy was mysterious. Yoda obviously trusted him. Luke showed an obvious wariness and gave of waves of discomfort, as if he did not fit in.

Perhaps Luke had been betrayed by a Jedi? It would explain his quietness.

Also, his master had been killed? The murder of a Jedi was just plain rare. How long had Luke been without a master?

"Sir, the data you requested," a different droid handed him a datapad before leaving the hallway.

Obi-Wan took one look at the pad and his jaw dropped. _22,000 midichlorians_. That was over 6000 more than him. No, it was nowhere near Anakin's incalculable amount, but it was impressive. Obi-Wan thought for a moment. That was higher than Yoda at 17,700, if Obi-Wan remembered right.

_Who is this Luke Walker?_

Obi-Wan scratched his chin. _And what is going on with Tatooine?_

He knew that Anakin had no father. So it ruled out the obvious thought of family relation. Or maybe not…

Maybe his mother was strong in the force? No…no, Anakin was conceived by midichlorians, that's why he's so strong…

But then how is it that _two_ Jedi that had above average midichlorian counts were on that desolate Tatooine. Obi-Wan walked into Anakin and Luke's room. Both were sleeping with a frown etched on their faces.

"Excuse me," Obi-Wan addressed the droid, "Give me a blood comparison of Anakin to Luke."

"Yes, Master Jedi," the droid ran into another room.

Obi-Wan absently wandered to Luke's bed. The young man was breathing deeply. There was something about the boy…something…familiar.

He picked up Luke's right hand, examining it. It looked real, but the temperature of it was way too low. Obi-Wan could sense the circuitry below his fingers, but he was not as technologically gifted as his padawan and couldn't tell how complex it was.

"Here is the data-chip for your data-pad," the droid handed Obi-Wan the small silver disc.

"Thank you," Obi-Wan said.

He pulled the data-pad from his robes and prepared to insert the chip.

"Master! Why did you bring me to this infernal place?" Anakin whined from behind him.

"You had a concussion, Anakin. And you have a nasty cut above your right eye," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin grumbled.

Obi-Wan slipped the chip and the pad into his robes.

Luke was stirring as well. Anakin was already sitting up, ready to get out.

Obi-Wan would have to deal with the mystery of Luke Walker later.


	8. They want me to be guarded by a Jedi

Disclaimer: I don't own it…really.

A/N: It's not as long as my normal chapter, but not as short as the last one either. I wasn't sure exactly what Bail Organa was…so I just put what my friend's Star Wars character book told me.

Chapter 8: "They want me to be guarded by a Jedi"

Padme walked out of the room thoughtfully. Leia was waiting outside, as she had been instructed to do. She felt uncomfortable, not really certain where or when she was.

She hadn't even seen Padme after a Senate meeting earlier, as the Senator had rushed off to this room. Leia had itched to enter the Old Republic Senate chambers too…which had been disallowed.

"They want me to be guarded by a Jedi," Padme said, sighing.

It took a moment for Leia to realize that Padme was talking to her.

"Isn't that wise? An attempt was just made on your life, Senator," Leia said. She still couldn't quite believe that her mother had been a Senator in the Old Republic. Leia knew a little about the Old Republic senate from Bail Organa, and she couldn't remember if she had been told about Padme.

At that moment Leia looked up past Padme. She heard a voice…one that she hadn't heard in a very long time.

Bail Organa was walking away from her, talking to someone who looked like a servant. A lump formed in Leia's throat and tears came to her eyes. Of course, Organa wouldn't know who she was.

Leia bit her lip, trying to look away from him but couldn't. Could she warn him now…?

"Hello?" Padme put a hand on her shoulder.

"That's Bail Organa…isn't it?" Leia asked her.

Padme glanced his way for a moment. "Yes, it is."

"How do you know him?" She asked.

"Well, he's the Viceroy and First Chairman of the Alderaan system. He serves on the loyalist committee of senators with me now…But outside of our professional lives, he's my friend. I would trust him with my life," Padme said.

That meant more to Leia than Padme could ever know.

"Have you heard of the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi?" Padme asked, jarring Leia out of her reverie.

Leia tried not to appear surprised. "I…I've heard of him."

"He's going to be my protector, apparently. He and his apprentice," Padme said, with a sour expression.

"You don't want his help?" Leia asked. She could no longer see Organa, as he had turned a corner. She swallowed the lump in her throat and focused on Padme.

"I just don't think it's needed. Aren't there other things Jedi can be worried about?" Padme asked, beginning to walk with her entourage.

"I suppose," Leia said, not really knowing herself. Of course, in the New Republic, the _one_ Jedi they had could not be used as personal protection. Luke had other things to do.

"And with this bill to make an army…" Padme sighed.

Leia's interest was piqued. "An army?"

"Yes, they want—" Padme started but was cut off.

"Mesa was so happy to be seein ya today, Padme!" A large orange creature exclaimed.

Leia took in the energetic being. He had long ears and buckteeth. His voice was extremely high-pitched and his walk haphazard, like he was clumsy.

"Yes, Jar-Jar, it's good to see you too," Padme said, smiling at him.

"When mesa heard 'bout the huge 'splosion, Isa got scared and went lookin for what be happenin to Padme!" Jar-Jar exclaimed.

Leia raised her eyebrows.

Jar-Jar saw her standing awkwardly beside Padme.

"Whosa yousa new friend, Padme?" Jar-Jar asked.

Padme glanced at Leia. "This is my new bodyguard. She has proved her usefulness today on the platform," Padme said.

Leia's eyes widened, but she couldn't deny the opportunity to fit in somewhere here. Better yet, somewhere close to her mother.

"As for her name, I still do not know," Padme said. She raised her eyebrows to Leia.

"My name is Leia. Leia O—" She stopped. She couldn't say Organa. Bail was not her father here. She wasn't even related to him.

"Leia Solo," she said the first thing that popped in her head.

Her face turned red as soon as she said it. _Why_ did she just say Han's last name? She couldn't very well take it back now. Even so, Leia thanked the force that Han wasn't there.

Leia saw Padme's other guard, Dorme, frown. Of course Dorme couldn't trust the newly hired guard. They didn't even know where Leia came from.

Jar-Jar stepped forward and shook her hand vigorously, causing her whole body to feel the shake.

"Nice to be meetin' ya, Leia Solo!" He said, smiling.

"Good to meet you too, Jar-Jar," Leia said, smiling at his silliness.

They continued walking together.

"Are yousa excited to see Master Obi again, Padme?" Jar-Jar asked.

Padme shrugged. "I am glad to see him again. I just wish that his talent could be used somewhere else."

"I'msa uberexcited. Itsa be bein' ten years since we be seein him last," Jar-Jar said.

The look on Padme's face changed. It was as if something occurred to her she hadn't thought of.

"Padme, what's wrong?" Leia asked.

Leia saw Dorme's eyes widen. It probably wasn't customary for guards to ask such things.

"Obi-Wan's apprentice was nine the last time I saw him. I guess he'd be about nineteen now. I wonder if I will even recognize him. He was such a sweet little boy."

"Thatsa be why I'm bein so excited! We get to see Annie!" Jar-Jar exclaimed.

A spark of recognition ignited in Leia's mind. "Annie?" She asked carefully.

"Yes, that's our nickname for him. His real name is Anakin. Anakin Skywalker."

A/N: Maybe…hopefully…next chapter Luke and Leia will finally meet up.


	9. Together Again

Disclaimer: George Lucas owns it…I just imagine…

A/N: Some time line stuff. Let's say that Anakin and Luke spent the night in the medical center. I'm sure that their injuries were not that extensive, but the droids gave them some sedatives because they needed to be thoroughly checked out before they insisted on leaving (which they would have done had they been conscious).

A/N#2: I trust the SW books and the movies. The book I read had Annie as Anakin's nickname. The movie had Ani as his nickname. I have made a final decision: Ani will be his nickname. I like it better and agree with one of my reviewers that Annie sounds like a girl's name.

A/N #3: SORRY! One more author's note. I changed the midi-chlorian counts from ch.7. they were bothering some people, and then the midichlorain counts started bothering me. So I changed them…

Chapter 9- Together Again

Leia stood nervously with three of Padme's entourage, Leia at Padme's right hand and Captain Typho at her left. Dorme was off to the side, looking in the distance. They were awaiting the arrival of Anakin and Obi-Wan, Padme's soon to be protectors.

Leia did not know quite what to make of Anakin coming. She wanted to be revolted, but that stupid holovid that Luke made her watch kept replaying in her head. It really confused her, and she was getting a headache.

Leia heard Jar-Jar yell in the distance: "OBI!" Then his voice fell as he spoke to the people who arrived.

Soon Jar-Jar led in the protection party. There were three Jedi who entered, rather than the two expected. The extra Jedi is the one that surprised Leia the most.

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Anakin and Luke were both sitting on the edge of their beds, anxious to leave. Luke was getting a bandage over his left eye, where one cut refused to heal. Anakin was getting one on his wrist, which got twisted in the quick exit of the speeder.

"Maybe this will teach you both a lesson," Obi-Wan commented, standing between the two.

"Yes, Master," Anakin said, smirking.

Luke winced as the droid finished his bandaging.

Then a Jedi entered the room. He had dark skin and tan Jedi robes. He was bald and carried an aura of importance. "Master Kenobi, we need you," the Jedi said.

Anakin hopped off of his bed almost knocking a droid over on his way. "Master Windu," Anakin said, bowing, "What do you need us for?"

Jedi Windu glanced over Luke. "So, this is the Jedi Yoda told me about?"

Luke had no idea how much Yoda told him, so he feigned ignorance. "Yes, sir. I am Luke Walker," he said, standing from his bed. He bowed.

The Jedi Master did not seem to know everything. Windu nodded in return. "I am Mace Windu, member of the Jedi Council. You will be joining Kenobi and Skywalker for the duration of your time in Coruscant, I am told. So this concerns you as well."

Mace Windu turned to Obi-Wan.

"Perhaps you have heard that your old friend, Senator Amidala, has just arrived in Coruscant for the Military Creation Act?" He asked, looking to each of them.

Anakin smiled and nodded. Obi-Wan gave a respectful nod.

"Well," Windu said, "An attempt was made on her life upon her arrival earlier today—"

"What?! Is she alright?" Anakin asked, stepping forward.

"Yes," Master Windu said, looking annoyed at the interruption. "She is fine. Her handmaid, however, was killed in the explosion. I am told that another guard was hired soon after, for her quick response on the landing platform.

"You three are to be her additional guard. The people in charge of the attack will know that she survived by now. There will be another attempt in all likelihood."

"Yes, sir. Of course, Master Windu," Anakin said, with a big grin, bowing.

"We will follow the Council's wishes, Master," Obi-Wan said.

Mace Windu nodded at them. He turned to Luke. "I would like to talk to you, Jedi Walker. Not immediately. Perhaps tomorrow, after you have established your protection of the Senator?"

"Yes, Master," Luke said, a question in his voice.

Windu gave a slight smile and left the room.

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They were riding up a turbo-lift. Anakin was shifting nervously with his Jedi robes. Luke's robes were slightly too long, as he had borrowed some from Anakin, who was at least four inches taller.

"You seem a little on edge," Obi-Wan commented to Anakin.

"Not at all," Anakin said, lamely.

Luke snorted softly. They could all feel the nervousness radiating off of Anakin.

"I haven't felt you this tense since we fell into that nest of gundarks," Obi-Wan said, glancing at him.

Anakin laughed a little. "You fell into that nightmare, Master. And I rescued you, remember?"

"Oh," Obi-Wan said seriously, "Yes."

After a second of silence, they all three laughed. Luke got the impression that Obi-Wan only made that comment to ease Anakin a little. Luke realized how much Obi-Wan cared about Anakin. Obi-Wan really did.

"You're sweating!" Obi-Wan said, playfully, "Relax! Take a deep breath."

"I haven't seen her in ten years, Master," Anakin said, revealing the source of his nervousness.

Luke was forced to wonder again, if this woman was his mother. Anakin was way too nervous.

Obi-Wan shook his head and looked forward. If this woman was his mother, how did Obi-Wan not see it coming? Anakin revealed how much he obsessed over her just through his simple actions.

Their lift was slowing down. Luke was very curious to see this woman.

The door opened to reveal a reddish creature. He looked ridiculous, to be honest. "Obi? OBI!" The creature yelled in a high-pitched voice.

"Mesa so smilin' to seein' yousa," the creature said.

"Good to see you again, Jar-Jar," Obi-Wan said with a smile.

Jar-Jar took no notice of Anakin or Luke, turning in the other direction of them.

"Senator Padme! Mesa palos here! Lookie, lookie, Senator!" Jar-Jar said, leading them into the next room. "Desa Jedi arrivin'."

The first thing Luke noticed was the woman from the holo. She was more beautiful than in the holo. And looked even more like Leia.

"It's a great pleasure to see you again, milady," Obi-Wan said to her.

"It has been far too long Master Kenobi," Padme agreed.

Then Luke heard his name. "Luke?"

He took his eyes from Padme, to see the woman behind her.

Luke's eyes widened in disbelief. "Leia?!"

His sister ran to him and hugged him. He hugged her back, surprised she was here. "Are you alright?" he asked, worried by her reaction.

She leaned away to look at him. "Yes." She looked pointedly at his bandage on his head. "Are you?"

"I'm fine," Luke said, waving his hand. "Small speeder crash."

Luke's mind picked up her thoughts: _Do you have any idea what's going on?_

Luke shook his head. "I have no idea," he said.

The Senator, both Jedi, Jar-Jar, and the Senator's guards were looking at the two in confusion.

"Um, Anakin, Obi-Wan, this is my twin sister," Luke introduced.

Obi-Wan nodded, a little confused. "Jedi twins?" He asked, curiously.

"Leia's not a Jedi," Luke said.

"You're a Jedi's twin but not a Jedi yourself?" Anakin asked Leia.

"She sensed our ship was going to blow up before it did. I've only seen Jedi do that," Padme said, recalling the situation on the platform with a grim face.

"That shows quite a level of skill, Master. Especially for a non-Jedi," Anakin commented, impressed with Leia.

"We'll ask questions later, Anakin. Now's the time to set up Padme's security," Obi-Wan said, looking just as curious as his Padawan.

Anakin didn't need too much prodding to shift his focus back to Padme. Leia stayed where she was, halfway between Luke and Padme.

"If your name is Luke," Padme said, looking at him, "Then…" she looked at Anakin up and down. "_Ani?_ My goodness, you've grown."

Luke could sense the nerves in Anakin as he stepped forward. "So have you," he said, then realized what exactly he said, "Grown more beautiful, I mean. And much shorter—"

Luke and Leia exchanged a look.

Anakin recovered quickly. "—for a Senator, I mean."

Leia gave Luke a pained look. Luke returned it. Oh, Anakin was enamored with her. After a quick shade of discomfort, Padme laughed.

"Ani, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine," she commented, and then turned from him.

Luke felt the disappointment from Anakin. Poor Anakin. Leia looked at Luke with a question. He couldn't quite divine what she wanted to know; there was simply too much to be curious about.

They went back to business again. "Our presence here will be invisible, milady, I can assure you," Obi-Wan told Padme.

"I'm Captain Typho of Her Majesty's security service. I am grateful you're here. The situation is far more serious than the Senator will admit," Typho said.

They were all sitting on couches now: the three Jedi on one and Padme, Dorme, and Leia on the other. Jar-Jar and Typho stood near by.

"I don't need more protection," Padme said, with a very Leia-like passion, "I need answers. I want to know who's trying to kill me."

"We are here to protect you Senator," Obi-Wan said. "Not to start an investigation."

Luke could see the vindication in Padme's eyes. She didn't want to stand idly by and wait for another attack. She wanted to take the offensive, which Luke agreed with wholly. He was about to say so, when Anakin beat him to the punch.

"We will find out who's trying to kill you, Padme," he said, with a gentle voice, "I promise you."

"We will not exceed our mandate, my young Padawan learner," Obi-Wan said.

_Ouch_, Luke thought. He could tell Anakin did not take being reprimanded in front of Padme well.

"I meant it in the interest of protecting her Master, of course," Anakin argued.

"We will not go through this exercise again, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, sternly. "And you will pay attention to my lead."

Everyone watched the Master and Padawan, not really knowing whether to feel bad for Anakin or to ignore his discomfort.

Luke and Leia looked at each other thinking the same thing. _This boy_ would be Darth Vader some day, this young boy who was getting reprimanded by his master. Luke almost heard Darth Vader in Anakin's voice when he said,

"Why?"

Obi-Wan looked at his Padawan unbelievingly. "What?"

Anakin recovered. "Why else do you think we were assigned to her if not to find the killer? Protection is a job for a local security not _Jedi_. It's overkill, Master. Investigation is implied in our mandate."

"We will do exactly as the council has instructed," Obi-Wan said, his patience frayed, "And you will learn your place, young one."

Luke wouldn't have the courage to speak back to Obi-Wan anymore. Anakin didn't seem to have any either. He looked down, dejected. Luke decided to try something. He thought of Anakin in his mind. _Don't worry, we'll find the killer. I'll help you._ Luke thought.

The only recognition Luke got to reveal that Anakin received the message was a small fleeting smile across his face.

"Perhaps with merely your presence, the mystery surrounding this threat will be revealed," Padme said. She stood and everyone followed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I will retire."

Padme turned to leave. Anakin and Luke watched her, Dorme, and Leia leave. Luke's sister gave him a look that said they would talk later.

The two Skywalkers walked to catch up with Obi-Wan and Captain Typho who were discussing security matters.

"She hardly even recognized me, Luke," Anakin said.

Luke saw how distraught he was. "It has been ten years," he said.

"Yes, but I've thought about her every day since we've been apart," Anakin said, passionately.

Obi-Wan walked up. "You're focusing on the negative, Anakin. Be mindful of your thoughts." He lowered his voice. "She was pleased to see us."

Obi-Wan looked at Luke. "We need to check security. Perhaps while we do, you can explain your sister?"

They began walking in the general direction that Padme and the other women had walked.

"Well, we're twins," Luke repeated.

"Is she strong in the Force like you?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I don't know if I would call myself strong..." Luke said humbly.

"Your midi-chlorian count is 22,000. I'd say that's strong," Obi-Wan said, with a touch of sarcasm.

"Midi-chlorian?" Luke questioned the odd term.

Obi-Wan stopped and gave Luke a questioning gaze. "You don't know what a midi-chlorian is?" He asked.

Luke hoped he didn't completely blow his cover. "No," he admitted.

"He _is_ from Tatooine," Anakin said, looking out over a balcony.

"He would have had his count taken regardless." Obi-Wan sighed. "No matter… midi-chlorians are tiny microscopic organisms that reside in your blood. They connect you, and everything around you, to the Force. The more you have, the better your control of the Force."

Luke nodded, absorbing this new information. "And Anakin…what's his count?"

"I can't be defined. I'm off the charts," Anakin said, strolling into the room with a grin.

Obi-Wan gave Anakin a look. "It's rather surprising that you haven't heard of Anakin, not to inflate his ego anymore than it already is," the master berated.

"What makes him so special?" Luke asked, glancing at Anakin's seemingly innocent face.

Obi-Wan sighed. "Have you heard of the prophecy of the Chosen One?"


	10. Bait

Disclaimer: Honestly, this disclaimer stuff gets old. I STILL don't own it. George Lucas!

A/N: It makes me extremely sad that I can't find a place for Mara Jade in this story because currently she is one of my favorite characters (Just finished the Thrawn—whoa, so as I was writing this last night…a huge lighting bolt hit my house and electrocuted me through the computer, no joke, so now I'm finishing what I was typing yesterday—Trilogy, soon I'm going to read the Hand of Thrawn)

Chapter 10

Obi-Wan left the room with a walk of purpose. Anakin watched him go fleetingly before turning toward the direction Padme had gone a short while earlier. Luke walked pace with him.

"So, you're supposed to bring balance to the Force?" Luke asked, reveling over this new fact.

"That's right," Anakin agreed.

Luke furrowed his brow. "That's a lot of pressure," he commented.

"You're telling me?" Anakin said, letting his emotions fill him for only a moment, before quelling them with the Force.

Luke let him calm before speaking again. "When did they tell you?" He asked.

"Shortly after I began training. Obi-Wan told me. I could tell he didn't want to," Anakin said softly.

On the list of things that could have turned Anakin to the dark side, this was a large one. The pressure to be the hero for the Force was unimaginable…But he succeeded, Luke thought with some relief. It was not Luke who killed the Emperor; it was Anakin.

Luke sensed Leia when they approached the large ornate doors at the end of the hall. He also sensed Padme, a foreign yet familiar sense. "She's frustrated," Anakin said.

"Yes," Luke agreed, sensing it too.

Anakin knocked on the door when he got there. "It's Anakin and Luke," he said.

Leia opened the door with a relieved look on her face. Anakin nodded to her. He looked to Padme who was watching the city from the window of her spacious room.

"Senator Padme, we're here to discuss security arrangements for your wing," Anakin said, trying hard to be businesslike.

"Yes?" She asked, turning.

"Well, we're going to access the cameras—" Anakin started.

There was a flare in Padme's emotions. "I don't think I like that idea," She said.

Anakin smirked. "We're Jedi. You can trust us."

"All the same," Padme said uncomfortably. "I would rather Artoo stay in here. He can scan the room for intruders of any sort."

Luke thought quickly of at least five different ways to kill someone that could escape Artoo's sensors…That thought made Luke stop cold. _Artoo_?

The little droid was waiting quietly in the corner. At the sound of his name though, he rolled out of his corner, beeping in a way that Luke knew to be of worry.

"You can do it, right Artoo?" Padme asked the little droid.

He twittered positively and reluctantly.

"I think that Artoo realizes that there are things that could escape his sensors," Luke offered. It was strange for Artoo not to come to Luke. The little droid was probably one of Luke's closest companions, and here he was and he did not even know who Luke was yet.

It made Luke sadder than he would have thought.

Padme nodded slowly. "But perhaps without the visual security, we can draw the attackers out. You know, catch them," she said.

Anakin raised his eyebrows. "You mean, you are offering yourself as bait?"

Padme winced. "Yes, in a way. However, we must find this dissident and take care of it. I cannot continue my duties looking over my shoulder for danger. And, I do not want anyone else to die because of me."

Leia nodded slowly. "I agree. Plus, with Luke's and…A-Anakin's Jedi senses, they should sense danger before it strikes."

Luke wasn't too sure that this was the best plan for Padme's safety, but it was a good plan for luring out the murderer. He and Anakin together ought to be able to sense any impending danger well enough.

"And your Jedi senses," Padme said, looking at Leia. "You are force-sensitive as well, correct?"

Anakin's suspicion awoke again as he looked at Leia.

"Well, yes. I'm not as powerful as Luke though," Leia said anxiously.

"But Jedi lore about twins—" Anakin started.

"We can discuss this later," Luke said, interrupting him. "Right now, we need to plan Padme's security."

"No matter what we do, Obi-Wan will never agree to Padme being used as bait," Anakin said, sighing.

"What if we don't tell him?" Padme offered.

Anakin nodded slowly walking a little in thought. "Well, I suppose that would work, but he would notice that the security cameras are off," Anakin said.

"By then, I'll be asleep and Artoo in place," Padme said.

Anakin hesitated. His want for Padme to be safe and want to catch the assassin were conflicting and simmering just below his surface.

It was as if Padme could sense this. "Don't you want to catch the killer, Ani?" She asked.

Luke could almost feel Anakin's conflicting emotions melting. "Yes, let's do it. Between Luke, Leia, Obi-Wan, and I, we should sense any danger," he assured himself more than her.

"Good. I want this threat past so that I can move on to more important things," Padme said.

Anakin nodded and tried to figure out something to say. When he couldn't he bowed and said, "Goodbye, Padme. I will see you soon."

Luke followed his lead and turned to exit with him.

He heard Padme talking as they left. "Leia, you wanted to hear more about the current events in the Senate?"

Luke smiled to himself. No matter where Leia was…

"Yes, but first…Luke?" Leia called him back.

He turned.

"Can I talk to you?" She asked, glancing at Anakin. "Alone?"

"Of course. Anakin, I'll find you later, okay? I'm going to take a walk with my sister."

Anakin looked suspicious. "Yes, that's fine. I'll see you all later."

With that, Anakin left. Leia caught up with Luke, and they began their walk.

As soon as Luke could sense Anakin, Padme, and anyone else out of hearing distance, they talked.

"Luke, this is the Imperial Palace," Leia said.

He looked around the hallway they were in. "You mean, it will be. The Jedi Academy is still here. I've been there. It's incredible."

Leia was silent. After a moment she whispered, "Luke, what is this? Is it real? Are we really here? Or…are we dreaming?"

Luke had wondered the same thing. "I thought maybe that I got electrocuted and this was just some figment of my imagination. But I've already been here a day. I've slept. And I got injured. With every moment, I'm starting to think this is more and more real.

"There are people in this dream I've never even heard of, if it is a dream. I don't think that it is possible to dream of someone you do not know, but then again, if the person was a Jedi, we are connected through the Force.

"Honestly, Leia, I think this is real. And I wasn't electrocuted because you're here too. Somehow, we were transferred back in time."

"That's impossible," Leia argued.

"You're talking to our mother about Pre-Clone Wars politics. It doesn't matter if you thought it was impossible. It's happening now," Luke said.

"You realize that you've been staying with the future Darth Vader?" Leia asked, almost randomly. But Luke could tell this was one of the main reasons that she wanted to talk to him.

"He isn't Darth Vader yet."

"He will be," Leia insisted.

"Are you suggesting I strike him down now?" Luke asked sarcastically.

"What if that's why we're here? What if we're supposed to stop him?" Leia asked.

"Then we would die…or cease to ever exist. You forget, he's our father."

"I can't forget. It haunts me everyday."

Luke's face went hard. "Darth Vader wasn't our father. Anakin was. You saw that holo, Leia. He wanted us."

Leia didn't respond, sensing Luke's tenseness.

"But maybe you're right, to a degree," Luke conceded, the knot of his emotions loosening. "Perhaps we're supposed to kill Darth Vader…and save Anakin."

"They're the same person," Leia pointed out.

"Yes, but maybe we can stop Anakin from falling to the dark side," Luke said, "I know what idea you have that you won't voice, Leia. You are thinking we could kill him after Padme's pregnant. But we can't.

"Obi-Wan just told me about this prophecy. Anakin is supposed to be a savior for the Jedi, kind of. He must bring balance to the Force, which is what he did when he killed Emperor Palpatine. He has to restore that balance."

Leia thought about this a moment. "Then, maybe he has to fall to the dark side to do that." Leia guessed darkly.

"I don't know. Surely, he can kill the Sith Lord without falling." Luke wondered hopefully.

"Luke, this is dangerous territory. Almost all of these people are vital in how the future will play out."

"We must be careful," Luke agreed.

"What if we've already changed the future by being here?" Leia asked.

"Yoda once told me the future is always in motion. It's true. We have no way of knowing if the future is changing for the good or bad at this very moment. The only thing that you and I can do is listen to the Force and follow its guidance."

At that moment Luke stopped and stood straight. "Someone's coming."

Leia sensed the person a second later. Within moments, Obi-Wan could be seen walking toward the twins. He had obviously known they were coming and was not surprised by them.

"Hello, Master Kenobi," Luke said and bowed.

Leia followed Luke's example.

"Where's Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.

"He is still in Padme's wing. Leia and I wanted to talk some. We haven't seen one another in a while," Luke explained.

"Well, we all have duties to attend to," Obi-Wan pointed out, looking at both Luke and Leia.

"Of course you're right, Master Jedi," Leia said. "We were done talking anyway. We'll walk with you."

So Leia and Luke fell in step behind Obi-Wan. After a moment, Luke could hear Leia's voice in his head. _Do we ever tell them who we really are?_

As soon as the idea entered Luke's mind, the Force reacted strongly, almost making him physically stumble. The message was simple. No.

Luke didn't respond to her. After a few seconds of silence, Leia whispered, "I felt it too."


	11. Conversations and Attack

George Lucas is amazing and it's all his.

Chapter 11- Conversations and Attack

Although the Force told him emphatically not to tell his father anything, Luke was comforted in knowing that the Force was still with him. He was extremely vigilant in the Force now, reaching into his mother's bedroom. Leia was trying hard to do the same as she stood guard in the corner of the room.

Anakin and Luke were pacing the floors. Anakin was anxious about Padme and Obi-Wan. "He's going to be angry," Anakin commented, crossing his arms.

"Yes, probably," Luke said.

Just then, Obi-Wan came back, commenting that there was no suspicious activity downstairs and that Captain Typho could easily handle everything down there. Anakin assured him nothing happened up here either.

"I don't like waiting for something to happen to her," Anakin commented.

"I second that," Luke said.

Obi-Wan looked at his pad connected to Padme's cameras. "What's going on?" He asked, frowning at the pad.

"We didn't set up the cameras," Leia commented.

Anakin smirked. "I don't think she liked the idea of me watching her," he provided.

"What is she thinking?" Obi-Wan asked to no one in particular. He began walking toward her quarters.

Leia stopped him with a hand to his chest. "We programmed Artoo to warn us of an intruder."

"There are other ways to kill a Senator," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"We know that, Master," Leia said.

"But we also want to catch the assassin," Luke said.

Obi-Wan turned on Anakin, looking frustrated. "You are using her as bait?"

Anakin looked abashed. "It was her idea," he murmured.

"Master, there are three Jedi here. And I myself am force sensitive. We should be able to sense any danger," Leia assured him.

"Anakin and I can sense everything going on in that room. No harm will come to her," Luke added.

"Trust us," Anakin added, not looking one-hundred percent sure.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms. "I am outnumbered. Still, it is risky." He breathed, and Luke sensed him reaching into the Force, for patience and to feel for danger. "But speaking of sensing, Leia, perhaps you and Luke can enlighten us as to your odd situation?"

Luke glanced at Leia, not able to think of a way out of this one. "You mentioned Jedi lore about twins. What does the lore say?" He asked.

Obi-Wan thought. "Well, in almost all twin cases, both twins have identical midi-chlorian counts," He glanced at Leia's confused face, "Meaning, both twins are of identical power. However, Luke is a Jedi and you are not. Why is that?"

Neither twin knew a way out of this. So Luke told the truth. "We weren't raised together. Our parents died," he swallowed, "around the time we were born. I was raised on Tatooine by family. Leia was raised here…on Coruscant."

Anakin frowned. "But we would have found Leia here, so close to the temple. How is it that you were found in the middle of nowhere on Tatooine when Leia, right under our noses, went unfound?"

Luke shrugged, unable to come up with a decent explanation. "Perhaps the old adage 'The best place to hide something is in plain sight' applies here. I, however, was found by luck. A Jedi Master found me while on Tatooine, he later became my Master."

Anakin stirred. "Much like my own story," he whispered, a pain radiating from his mind.

"Then your name is not Walker like Luke?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Walker…?" Leia was puzzled, and then she understood. She recovered quickly. "No, no, my name is Leia…" Luke's heart beat in his ears. _Don't say Organa_, he warned. She sent him an uncomfortable look. "Leia Solo."

Luke's eyes widened. An image of Han smirking came to mind, and he bit his lip to keep from laughing.

Leia's face was reddening, as she tried her hardest not to sense the mirth radiating off of Luke. _Wow, Leia, does Han know about this new development?_ He regretted thinking it immediately, as her eyes narrowed threateningly on him.

"Ah," Obi-Wan commented, sensing something between the twins, but not knowing what.

Anakin had sat in his seat as the conversation passed. He was lost in his thoughts.

"You look tired, Anakin," Luke said, shifting focus of Leia and him.

Anakin played with the lightsaber at his waist. He looked to Obi-Wan, his eyes begging guidance. "I don't sleep well anymore," he murmured.

Obi-Wan looked and sounded very much like a father. He moved closer to his padawan. "Your mother?" He asked.

Anakin nodded slightly. "I don't know why I keep dreaming about her," he whispered.

"Dreams pass in time," Obi-Wan said, looking concernedly at his padawan.

"What's wrong with your mother?" Luke asked, feeling a little like he was prying.

Anakin glanced at him. "Did you leave anyone behind to be a Jedi, Luke?"

Luke remembered Anakin's comment about attachments being forbidden. Anakin was showing very clearly that he was very attached to his mother. And though Obi-Wan wouldn't admit it, Luke could see that Obi-Wan was attached to Anakin.

"Not really," Luke admitted. "But not because I didn't have anyone. My guardian family was killed right before I left. The only person I _had_ to turn to was the Jedi Master. He took me away from my sad memories, really."

Anakin kept his eyes on Luke for a short time. "Was it the Jawas? Or the Sandpeople?"

Luke shivered in memory. No, it was Stormtroopers. But of course, they didn't exist yet. The Clone Wars hadn't even happened yet. "I'm not sure. I didn't really check. I left to go find an escaped droid, and they were killed while I was gone," Luke said, pain shooting through him.

"Wait. Wait, how old were you?" Obi-Wan asked, looking alarmed.

Luke froze. Jedi weren't trained old. He knew that…and yet he let slip something that he shouldn't have remembered. It was Anakin's fault. Why did he ask? Anakin should have guessed Luke was a baby when he was taken to the temple.

"I was ten," Luke said, thinking of a decent age.

"What?! The Jedi order doesn't start training on anyone that old. Anakin was an exception, and he was nine. And you're older than Anakin!" Obi-Wan demanded; mistrust permeating the Jedi Master's form.

Luke winced, unable to think of an explanation. "I just was," he shrugged. "Yoda wanted me trained, and so I was."

"Who is…was your Master?" Obi-Wan asked.

_You!_ Luke thought to himself. He breathed.

"I can't tell you. Perhaps one day, but not now," Luke said. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to object. "The Force is telling me not to tell you yet. I'm trying to listen."

Anakin's brow was furrowing. "He's right, Master. Listen to the Force," Anakin said, looking curiously at Luke. "You thought about telling us, didn't you?"

Luke nodded shortly.

"He trusts us, Master. All we can do is allow him the same luxury. If the Force is guiding him not to tell us, then we should not make him," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan hesitated, and then nodded. "My padawan speaks wisdom. The Force indeed guides our actions."

"Perhaps then, the Force is guiding my dreams?" Anakin asked, leaning against the couch.

"They will pass, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, his suspicion of the twins dying for a moment.

"I'd much rather be dreaming about Padme," Anakin said.

Luke looked to Leia, who raised her eyebrows. Luke left the Master and Padawan to talk to her. "That was close," she whispered.

"I know," Luke said.

"Something is going to happen tonight. I can feel it," Leia told him, glancing to the door.

"Me too," Luke agreed.

"Do you think we'll sense it first?" Leia asked. "Since you and I are related to her?"

"I don't know," Luke said, smiling wryly. "Anakin could overcome us just because he's so powerful." Leia sent him a questioning look. "I'll explain later. Let's just say I've learned some stuff about how Jedi get their Force power. And he's connected to Padme in his own way."

"He's in love with her," Leia agreed.

"Or else, enamored, perhaps a childlike crush?" Luke said, with a small smile. "He's still rather young. The same age I was when I left Tatooine."

"And when I was tortured by him," Leia said darkly.

Luke grimaced, but nodded.

"You know, Padme was queen at fourteen years old," Leia said, smiling. "Of Naboo, you heard of it?"

Luke smiled. "No, but I suppose we know where you get your political expertise, huh?"

Leia smiled sadly. "Bail told me about her. That's why I had seen her before. She was a Senator…they worked together before she died. That's why I was raised by Bail, because they were friends. However, I don't know why you and I were separated."

"Perhaps it was best though. I was left to the guidance of a Jedi. And you, to the guidance of a Senator," Luke commented.

"Yes. It makes you wonder if our roles would have reversed if Obi-Wan had taken me instead," Leia said.

Luke furrowed his brow. "And me, a Senator?" Luke asked with a laugh. "You could be a great Jedi, Leia, but I doubt I could ever have your expertise in political talk."

Leia shook her head. "You would have learned."

Then there was a jolt of sense that shot through Luke. He twitched with it and instinctively grabbed his lightsaber. He saw Leia grab her blaster. "Ana—" Luke started to call.

"I sense it, too," Anakin said.

Luke and Anakin entered the room headlong together. Both ignited their lightsabers, green and blue lighting the room. Luke let the Force guide his actions as he ran forward, jumped onto Padme's bed with Anakin, and sliced through the danger.

He and Anakin both looked to the two now halved creatures, centipedes of some sort. Probably poisonous.

Padme sat up in her bed with a gasp, the two Jedi with lightsabers drawn standing around her and Obi-Wan at the foot of the bed. Leia stood with her blaster ready.

Then Obi-Wan ran toward the window to a hovering metallic contraption. Luke and Anakin simultaneously closed down their lightsabers. Obi-Wan crashed through the window, getting a firm grasp on the small ship as it flew away.

Anakin glanced at Padme and Luke. To Padme he said, "Stay here."

He looked to Luke. "Come on," he beckoned, shoving his lightsaber in the holster.

Luke followed him out of the door. He slowed by Leia. "Stay with her and keep her safe," Luke told her.

Then Luke turned and ran after Anakin, his adrenaline pumping. Maybe finally, he would get to see how Old Republic Jedi got their reputations.


	12. Toxic

Disclaimer: George Lucas…owns it…all of it….

A/N: Sorrryyyy! I haven't updated in so long but I've been soooo busy that I nearly forgot what it was like to relax. Anyway, this chapter didn't come as easily as the others because I don't really like it all that much. However, the next chapter has been simmering in my mind a while: Windu and Luke are going to have a little chat.

Chapter 12- Toxic

Leia walked to the creatures on the ground. They were some sort of centipede or millipede. They had pincers on their fronts, dripping with a green fluid of some sort.

"Have you seen them before?" Padme's voice was light, not breathless, just surprised.

"No, but they don't look very friendly." Leia loosely put her blaster in the holster. She turned. "Are you alright, Padme?"

She smiled shakily and climbed out of her bed. "Yes, I'm fine." She looked to the window. "I do hope Obi-Wan is alright…and that Anakin catches the assassin."

She turned on the lights in the room, better bringing into view the broken window and dead creatures. Then Padme's assorted security rushed into the room.

"M'lady," Dorme breathed, looking around the room.

"My brother, Anakin, and Obi-Wan went after the assassin." Leia took command of their attention. She really didn't mean to. She just did it naturally. "I saw, before Obi-Wan shattered the window, a laser cut, through which I am guessing the assassin let loose those creatures."

"Why did Obi-Wan jump?" Captain Typho wandered to the window and looked out.

"The droid flyer—I don't know what kind—was still there, probably making sure the creatures did their task. He jumped onto it. Anakin and Luke followed behind."

The captain looked around the room. "We'll secure the Senator…and leave the hunting to the Jedi. Leia, would you like a guard position?"

"I—"

"I would like her with me, Captain." Padme raised her eyebrows.

"As you wish, m'lady." He bowed and left the room, giving assignments.

After the group filtered out, they only left two guards at the entrance to Padme's quarters.

"May I ask you a question, Padme?" Leia watched the small woman curiously.

The woman nodded, walking toward the refresher.

"There is no reason for you to trust me. Yet, you request that I stay?"

Padme stopped and leaned on the doorway to the refresher. "I don't understand it much either, Leia. The only explanation I can come up with is that, first of all, I trust Jedi. You are somewhat of a Jedi. Second, I have a good sense of people. And you, I feel like I can trust you."

Leia furrowed her brow. "Are you force sensitive?"

She laughed. "Not like you, not enough to be a Jedi. Once when I was small, my parents had my midi-chlorians counted. I am higher than most, but, like I said…not enough to be a Jedi. And that is a secret that not many know."

Luke was amazed, downright impressed by their skills on the hunt. Master and apprentice were well tuned to one another, giving them the edge that caused them to actually catch up to the assassin.

Now, Obi-Wan and he were landed and catching up to where Anakin was impatiently waiting for them. There was a bar, a rather colorful one called the Outlander. Obi-Wan had reproof in his mind, and Luke was certain Anakin knew why.

In his hand, the Jedi Master held the apprentice's lightsaber.

Even though they were still on a hunt, their quarry within meters of them, Obi-Wan began to scold Anakin for loosing his lightsaber, a Jedi's most precious possession, that he must keep with him at all times. Anakin nodded, somewhat bored with the conversation. He was very anxious to get on with the hunt.

"I've heard this lesson before." Even to Luke's ears, the words were immature.

"But you haven't _learned_ anything, Anakin!"

Anakin ran a hand through his hair anxiously. "I try, Master."

Obi-Wan gave up. He breathed and headed for the nightclub. "Why do I think you are going to be the death of me?"

Luke felt the discomfort roll off of Anakin, as if he knew that those words rang true on some deep level. Luke's own reaction was like earlier. He hated thinking about how these two close partners ended up.

"Don't say that, Master." Anakin's heart was vehemently in his words, as if he was rebelling against the truth he felt in them. "You're the closest thing I have to a father. I love you." Luke felt the words stab him in the soul. Something really horrible must have happened to Anakin for him to have the ability to turn his back on Obi-Wan. "I don't want to cause you pain."

Luke sensed that Obi-Wan did appreciate the words. However, his face and tone were mild. "Then why don't you listen to me?"

"I really _am_ trying."

At that, they got back to work. Anakin explained that the creature seemed to be a changeling and a woman. So they needed to rely on the Force here. Luke meandered to the bar with Obi-Wan letting Anakin wander about the bar.

Luke smiled at how easily he could see Ben Kenobi in Obi-Wan.

Luke sensed the danger before Obi-Wan seemed to. Then he realized the assassin was targeting him from behind! _Oh no, I'm not even supposed to be in this time period. What if I change something by protecting myself!_ Luke did the only thing he could and reacted with the Force.

He ignited his green lightsaber swirling it in a loop and neatly slicing the assassin's hand off.

Anakin had caught up to them and calmed the crowd. They took the assassin outside of the bar. They asked if she knew who she was targeting. Yes, the Senator of Naboo. Who hired her? She growled and said it was just a job and that the next assassin wouldn't mess up.

Anakin grew impatient. "Tell us who hired you!" Luke could feel him using the Force to back up his words.

The assassin spoke, surprisingly. "It was a bounty hunter called–" Then she died with a twitch.

They all turned and looked at the sound of a jetpack jettisoning away. Anakin frowned for he knew they couldn't catch him at this point.

Obi-Wan went back to what they did have. He pulled something from the changeling's neck. He held the thing in his fingers and scrutinized it. "Toxic dart."

Luke and Anakin looked at one another.

"We still don't know who's trying to get Padme." Anakin frowned in frustration.

Luke nodded. "But perhaps that dart can bring us a step closer."

Obi-Wan stood. "My thoughts precisely, Luke."


	13. Palpatine

Disclaimer: It's George Lucas's universe. I just play in it.

A/N: Yes, I'm giving you another chapter really quickly. #1: It's a Happy New Year's present. #2: I really didn't like the last chapter.

Chapter 13- Palpatine

Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Luke stood in the midst of the Jedi Council. They recounted the events of the previous night.

Luke marveled at the way the council was set up. _Would I ever have enough Jedi Knights to establish a Council?_ Luke grimaced at the thought of him sitting where Yoda was. He was much too young, in his mind, too inexperienced.

Luke realized in his musings he had tuned them out. They were assigning Obi-Wan with tracking the assassin.

"What about Senator Amidala? She will still need protection."

"Handle that, your Padawan will." Yoda's ears twitched once.

Even Luke blinked in surprise at that one. Didn't the council sense Anakin's feelings toward her? Didn't they object, seeing as they didn't condone attachments?

Master Windu glanced at Luke then turned his attention to Anakin. "Let's put Luke with Anakin as well. You will both escort the Senator back to her home planet. She will be safer there. And don't use registered transport. Travel as refugees."

Luke thought about Leia. Leia, who stayed with her people even if she was in danger. Leia, who grabbed a blaster and headed in with the troops. "It will be extremely difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the capital," Luke warned.

Anakin nodded.

Yoda shifted. "Until caught this killer is, our judgment she must respect."

_That would convince her_, Luke thought sarcastically. _Tell her she has to leave "because we told you so."_

Anakin seemed to pick up a bit of that, and struggled to contain amusement. The Jedi Masters seemed not to notice. Windu spoke again. "Anakin, go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with her."

The other Jedi began to nod in agreement. Luke's eyes shot to Windu. "Palpatine?!"

Palpatine, Darth Vader's master. Palpatine, Luke's torturer. Palpatine, leader of the Empire. Anger rolled off of Luke, and he knew it. But he couldn't quite contain it. He fought for years against the evil that Palpatine created.

"Jedi Walker!"

Yoda's adage rolled through Luke's mind. _Anger leads to Hate. Hate leads to the dark side._ Or something like that. Luke breathed slowly, dissipating his anger.

Luke looked up at the Jedi Council, who all looked at him slightly alarmed and slightly confused. "I'm sorry. I…I…" He looked pointedly at Yoda and then at Windu. "I can't explain my actions. May I be excused for the remainder of this meeting?"

Windu looked to Yoda. Yoda nodded slowly. "Excused, you are. However, return when Obi-Wan and Anakin leave, you will."

Luke bowed to the Council. He murmured a thank you and walked out. Anakin tried to meet his eyes, but Luke wouldn't let him.

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Outside of the council, Luke sat against the wall and sighed. So, Palpatine was trusted by the Jedi.

Of course, it made sense. How else could the Jedi have been taken completely out? They had to have trusted their enemy enough to let him in. And they sent Anakin to talk to him. Anakin, who became Palpatine's Sith apprentice. It all made sense. It made so much sense Luke felt sick and angry.

He could change the future now. Could he take on the Sith Lord himself, now? If he could kill Palpatine, perhaps none of it would happen. But what if he didn't go back to the future? He would be charged with the murder of a Chancellor.

_I am a Jedi Knight. I should be able to expel this anger._ Luke breathed and thought. Why was he so mad? Luke then realized that the reason he didn't hate his father, like Leia, was because he cast all the blame on Palpatine. _How very immature of me, a Jedi. _

Luke took a deep breath. Yes, Palpatine was here and living and probably already planning his takeover. But for now, Luke would only listen to the Force. He would trust it. He would not go after the Chancellor. Not yet. Not now.

The Council doors opened. A few of the Council exited. Obi-Wan and Anakin followed. The few Council members glanced curiously at Luke. Anakin knelt in front of him after they left. Obi-Wan crossed his arms and looked down.

"What happened in there?" Obi-Wan asked.

Luke drew his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…loose control."

"I'm not your Master…and I'm not pretending to be. But you should exercise greater control of your emotions," Obi-Wan's voice was commanding yet reluctant. "You act like an apprentice."

Anakin frowned. "Even Jedi can make mistakes; can have weak spots, Master."

Obi-Wan shifted, obviously uncomfortable with Anakin's tone. "Yes, but control of emotions—" He looked pointedly at Luke. "—especially those of the dark side like anger, and especially in front of the Jedi Council should be exercised."

Luke stood and nodded to Obi-Wan. "Thank you." He bowed slightly to him. "The guidance of my elders is always needed. I will work on my anger."

Anakin raised his eyebrows suspiciously. "Are you going to tell us why Palpatine brought about such anger?"

"Not now, Anakin." Obi-Wan motioned toward the Council doors. "Master Windu wishes to see you, Luke."

"Right," Luke nodded. "I told him I would talk to him." Suddenly he was nervous. How much should he say?

"Wait. Luke, why did Palpatine make you mad? What did he do to you?" Anakin demanded.

Luke flinched as a bit more anger arose in him. He did so many things…so many. At the core of it, Luke's entire life seemed to be hinged on what the Emperor—no Chancellor—did.

Luke looked over Anakin as a man looked over his son, whom he knew was going to make a mistake. "Just…be careful, Anakin. Please, be careful." Anakin looked confused. Luke continued, almost sounding like Yoda. "The future hangs in the balance. Our actions are determining how the scale will tilt."

Anakin frowned. Obi-Wan cocked an eyebrow.

Luke turned with a flourish and walked into the Council chambers.

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Windu was alone in the chambers. He stood at the window overlooking Coruscant. Luke walked up beside him and held the rail. The sun was rising and casting an orange-red glow over the horizon. It was so very serene.

"Do you feel the Force powerfully in this place, Jedi Walker?" His voice seemed to flow gently with the moment, peacefully.

Luke remembered the days when this very area wreaked of Sith and the Dark Side. Leia hadn't felt it at the time, but it always made Luke feel uncomfortable. Currently, this place was empowered with the Light Side. There were so many good Jedi here, working and learning.

"Yes, very much so," Luke answered.

Master Windu glanced at the younger Jedi. "And that is foreign to you. I can feel it. This place is a relief to you, almost like an ideal place in your mind?"

Luke's throat went dry. "There aren't many Jedi, where I'm from." He added softly. "Not many at all."

Windu regarded Luke curiously. "You're alone where you are at? What planet is that? One in the Outer Rim?"

Luke shook his head slowly. "No." Suddenly he knew what he could tell Windu. The Force was with him.

"Where, then?"

Luke breathed. "Currently, I live near my sister and friends…on Coruscant."

Windu radiated confusion. "Coruscant?"

Luke looked to the older Jedi. "Perhaps I shall start my story from the beginning?"

"Please." Master Windu had turned from the window, giving Luke his full attention.

"I was raised on Tatooine," Luke said. Windu's eyes widened in shock and remembrance. "That's right, _raised_. I lived on Tatooine until I was in my late teenage years, completely ignorant of the Force."

Windu's mind was alarmed, that was easy to tell. "This is impossible."

"Hear the truth in my words, Master Windu."

"I can. However, this cannot be true. It simply cannot." Windu crossed his arms, almost in a defensive posture.

"I was found," Luke plowed on the story anyway, "by Ben Kenobi."

Master Windu was listening intently. "_Ben_ Kenobi?"

"Whom I later learned was Obi-Wan Kenobi. He trained me, for as long as I was with him." Windu had the sense not to interrupt anymore. "Then, after his death, I was trained by Yoda, who, shortly thereafter, died."

Luke stopped; remembering his old friends was hard. Luke leaned over the bar and looked over this antiquated Coruscant. "I wasn't raised by my parents. I wasn't raised with my twin sister. The times wouldn't allow that."

Neither of them talked for a moment. Then Mace Windu finally spoke. "I hear the truth in what you say. However, I _know_ with my mind it is not true."

"Perhaps, I shall reintroduce myself, Master." Luke gave him a little half smile as he turned to the Master. "My name is not Luke Walker." Luke bowed. "My name is Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight."

Windu's eyes narrowed. "Skywalker?"

"I somehow traveled back through time. I…" Luke coughed. "I traveled back and landed practically at my father's feet."

It only took the Master a second. "Anakin? Anakin Skywalker is your father?"

Luke looked in Master Windu's eyes. "Yes."

"And your mother?" The Jedi inquired.

The Force flared in his mind. "I cannot tell you. You might change the future. With all humility, my sister and I are too important to loose."

The Jedi Council Member took his seat with a heavy sigh. "There are many things that I have questions about. But the Force, it strongly…very strongly warns me not to ask."

Luke nodded. "I know."

"Your twin, your sister, is she here as well?" Windu questioned.

Luke nodded again. "Yes, sir."

"Is she a Jedi?"

"No."

Windu furrowed his brow. "The daughter of Anakin Skywalker is not a Jedi?"

Luke crossed his arms. "I never said she was not Force sensitive. She was simply never trained."

"Another thing I cannot ask about," Windu said dryly.

Luke breathed. "Master, a bit of advice: Do not dwell on what I may know or what decisions I may be able to help you decide. Right now, I am here as an observer only. When the Force tells me to act, I act. But I don't want to change the future for the worse."

Master Windu looked up. "The future did not sound so great for you."

Luke nodded with a heavy heart. "Yes, but it could have been much worse. Actually, at the point in time when I left, I was pretty happy."

They both stopped talking. Luke closed his eyes and let the Force flow through him.

"You said that you were not raised by your father, and that you were on Tatooine until you were in your late teenage years. You are not much older than that now. So perhaps, you are simply here to know your father?"

Luke nodded with an awkward shrug. "Yes, that is possible. However, I find it hard to believe that the Force would act for such reasons. I'm not any more special than anyone else. Others have been parentless."

"Well, you hinted that there are not many Jedi on Coruscant…which means this academy no longer exists. And if Yoda trained you…times must have been dire." Windu's eyes were dark, as if that scared him. "Perhaps you are here to learn how to be a better Jedi and finish your own training."

Luke nodded. He was definitely learning things.

"And now, you will have an opportunity to train with your father on Naboo, Senator Amidala's homeworld. Maybe you are here for both reasons?"

Luke turned back to the window, finding the sight comforting. "Yes. Maybe."

He sensed that his future in this time would get confusing, but the Force would be with him, always. Closing his eyes, he sensed Leia talking excitedly with their mother. And he sensed Anakin feeling rather proud of himself, with Palpatine on his thoughts.


	14. Would Anakin really go so far?

Disclaimer: Can you imagine if George Lucas hadn't been born?

Chapter 14- Would Anakin really go so far?

Mace Windu sat contemplatively in his chair of the Jedi Council. He thought deeply about Luke Walker—no, _Sky_walker. Every way he approached the boy's story, he hit a bad end.

Master Windu began thinking about Anakin. Anakin was reckless, yes. He was a rebel, yes. However, Windu knew he respected the Council greatly. And while if he could pick a Jedi who would father a child, he would pick Anakin, Windu really didn't think Anakin would go so far.

So that brought him to another conclusion: Luke was an imposter.

This was extremely disconcerting. The Jedi were on the vigilant search for the Sith Lord of Darth Maul. Windu doubted that Luke was old enough to be the Lord; however, could Luke be the new Darth Maul?

The one thing that Windu would expect a Sith Lord to do would be to trick the Jedi and take any measure to assure their total trust in him. And which Jedi would the Sith Lord's target? The most promising, powerful Padawan in the Order: Anakin Skywalker.

Also, if Luke had sway over Windu and Yoda, he would be extremely powerful. His advice in important military and political decisions could sway the Balance of the Force to the dark or light.

If the Jedi Council believed Luke to have knowledge of the future—which he was supposedly from—it would be tempting to ask him for advice in decisions.

Oh yes, this plan was well worked out.

What disturbed Windu greatly, however, was the fact that, somehow, Luke was able to project truth in his words. The lies he told sounded and felt true. Could this be a new power of the Sith?

No, this Luke _Sky_walker could not be trusted.

Windu's last thought as he sank into a meditation trance was that Luke and Anakin must be watched closely…very closely.

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Padme had the Force sense of a young child being grounded to her room. Leia couldn't help but agree with her. At a young age, Leia had been "protected" numerous times, and as she got older, against her wishes.

"Think of it as a vacation," Leia offered, with a shrug.

"A vacation?" Padme crossed her arms. "A Senator does not go on a vacation when her people are on the brink of hostilities! The Separatists are gaining strength as we speak and I'm being isolated on Naboo!"

Leia sighed. "Well, at least you'll get to know your old friend." Leia had a suspicion that this "vacation" would be important to Padme and Anakin's future. Leia found it dryly humorous that it was not only their future; it was hers and Luke's future, too.

So even if she sympathized with Padme, Leia wasn't going to try to help her out of this trip.

Padme carefully folded about sixty percent of her wardrobe and tucked it into her traveling bags. Leia had confided to Padme that she had lost her clothing somewhere in her travels, probably to a thief. Padme had allotted her an advance on her security paycheck.

So now, Leia's clothing fit in rather well with this time.

"Yes, I suppose. However, there is something about Anakin that just…makes me nervous." Padme tucked her hair behind her ear, a self-conscious movement.

"Hmm," Leia commented.

"He's a Jedi…I mean, Padawan. But either way, he has to abide by Jedi rules, right?" Padme sounded slightly uncomfortable. She turned to Leia, brown eye meeting brown eye.

Leia frowned. "What do you mean?"

Padme actually showed emotion. "Please," she begged, "Don't make me say it."

"I honestly do not know what you mean." Leia raised her eyebrows curiously.

Padme put her hand on her head. "The rule that Jedi cannot have attachments, you know? The reason not a one of them are married."

Leia's eyes widened. She really hoped that when Luke heard this rule, he wouldn't take it to heart. She loved her brother already and wished him happiness, maybe love. She surely didn't want him resisting it because of an archaic Jedi Law.

"I think that the Jedi want him to follow it." Leia was deliberately not answering.

Padme's voice sounded slightly hysterical. "That's not helpful."

"Has he done something to really make you think he might _feel_ something for you?" Leia felt like the question was rather stupid, because a blind rancor could see how Anakin felt about Padme.

"Oh, I don't know. Anakin…he was such a cute little boy. I was fourteen then. He was just a little boy to me. I mean, yes, he may have had a little crush on me then. But honestly, it's been ten years!"

Leia tried to imagine a little Anakin, and she saw, instead, a holo Luke had shown her from his childhood. It was one of the only ones that his Aunt and Uncle had made. Little Luke, fighting imaginary bad guys…

Leia smiled. "Perhaps he never outgrew that crush."

Padme didn't say anything. Instead, she walked to a table with a drawer in it. She pulled it open slowly and pulled out a necklace. "He made this for me." Padme smiled affectionately at it. "He asked me if I was an angel."

She looked at Leia. "I thought it was just because I was the first girl he had ever seen who wasn't from Tatooine."

It sounded to Leia like he used to have the same kind of innocence that Luke still possessed. "That is really cute."

Padme frowned. "He can't still have the same feelings, can he? He was so young."

Leia didn't say anything.

Even though the former queen seemed resistant to Anakin's crush, she took the small necklace and packed with her clothes.

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Luke was having a dream…a nightmare.

_He faced Vader and Palpatine, again. Luke looked pleadingly at his father and called to him as Force lightening ripped through him. It felt as if his very nerves were ripping in half. _

_Luke's eyes held the cold black mask. He tried to get a sense of the man who was his father, but he just couldn't concentrate past the searing pain. "Father!" _

_Then Vader lifted the mask. Luke's pain entrenched mind vaguely sensed the incongruity of the action, but he had no time to take it all in. _

_Anakin's face, young and whole—save a scar on his face—looked at Luke. It was the face from the holo, the one that was happy about having a son and daughter. "Luke, I can't help you."_

_"Father?!" _

_Anakin glanced at Palpatine, who seemed not to notice the exchange._

_"You knew he was bad, and you didn't help me. Why didn't you warn me when you had a chance?" Anakin's blue eyes were ice cold. _

Luke shot up in his bed, sweating and breathless. He expected to find the Chancellor over his bed, ready to kill him or torture him.

Luke climbed out of the bed and shivered from the air touching his wet skin. He ran a hand through his hair. His pulse spiked as he wondered if maybe that was his new future. Would Anakin remember meeting him in their first fateful battle in Hoth?

Again, Luke worried that he was changing the future too much. Then another worry struck him. If Darth Vader did remember Luke, would he remember Leia too? Vader had not known about Leia until battling Luke.

Luke reached through the Force to check on Leia. She was asleep already. He must remember to check with her about the political climate concerning Palpatine. Surely, staying with Padme, she knew by now. Luke hadn't had the chance to tell her yet.

Then he sensed someone else in the Force, awake and walking the halls. Anakin.

Part of Luke didn't want to see him because of his dream. However, he went for Anakin anyway.

He found the Padawan near the Jedi Temple; he was looking at his lightsaber thoughtfully.

Luke didn't call him because he knew Anakin felt him. Luke walked up to him. He glanced sideways and up a bit at Anakin's troubled face. "Couldn't sleep?"

Anakin shook his head. "Nightmares, again."

Luke smiled wryly. "Me, too."

"Was yours a vision?" Anakin asked thoughtfully.

"No, they were simply my fears coming to life."

Anakin shivered. "I hope that is what my dreams were."

"Your mother?" Luke asked.

"Yes."

Luke breathed. His grandmother. "Tell me about her."

Anakin seemed surprised, but he talked anyway. "She's kind. When Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Padme came to Tatooine, she took them in straightaway. Strangers…She cared for everyone and everything. She didn't deserve to be a slave."

He grew angry. "I want to go free her. I promised her I would return. Now I have these dreams…I feel compelled to go to her. This—" Anakin shook his saber. "—being a Jedi took me from her. But I love being a Jedi. It is the only way I have the power to free her."

An alarm rang in Luke's head. Anakin talked of gaining power. That was _not_ what the Jedi were for. They did not seek power.

Then again, if someone he loved—Leia or Han, maybe—were in mortal danger, would he try to save them at any cost?

Would he go to the Dark Side for them?

Luke's gaze shot to Anakin. Was something like this what turned Anakin? Did _love_ make Anakin go bad?

_Attachments are forbidden…_ Luke frowned; maybe there was something to that rule. He swallowed, hoping with all his heart that something else turned Anakin.

"Maybe," Luke sought to change the subject, "a change of scenery will do you some good."

Anakin smiled. "Yes. Protecting Padme should be…" He sought the word with a mischievous grin on his face. "…exciting…and fun."

Luke smirked.

"No offense to you, Luke, but I think I could to this mission by myself."

Luke didn't take any offense. If he weren't here, Anakin would probably be going alone.

Luke answered Anakin's mischievous grin with a sly grin of his own. "Don't worry. I won't get in your way."

Anakin's eyes shot to Luke's. "What are you talking about?"

"I think you know what I'm talking about, _Ani_." Luke's tone was only amusement.

Anakin's mouth twitched. "We are Jedi. It is forbidden."

Luke smiled. "Attachments to mothers are also forbidden. I thought we established that is a stupid rule." Though Luke wasn't so sure about that anymore…

Anakin allowed the hint of a smile through. "Well, Luke, I simply plan on getting to know my old friend again. No attaching…right?"

Luke smiled mischievously. "Right."


	15. The Hand

Disclaimer: So not mine.

A/N: Okay, so I felt like adding something to the story and I thank Daniella Harwood for the idea, although I didn't use it 100 but thanks a bunch! Tell me what you guys think about this angle...

Chapter 15- The Hand

The woman held onto the cold rail of the spaceship. She looked out into the empty vacuum of space with a slight frown. Something had woken her up.

A few years ago, she would have thought it the emperor. The way the energy swirled through her mind was so like his call. The call that only she could hear because she was different.

But the emperor was dead…because of damned Luke Skywalker. She ground her teeth as the loss of the emperor gnawed at her brain.

"Hey, new girl!" Someone yelled, presumably at her.

She turned, her green eyes flashing like a predator. "Do you know where Talon Karrde found me, Aves?" Her words were cold.

He coughed. "No."

She smiled a smile that had both charmed and scared people out of their wits. Aves wisely backed out of the room, leaving her alone again.

She remembered the days when she was the Emperor's Hand. When she did his bidding, hearing his call even across the galaxy. Now, she only heard KILL LUKE SKYWALKER…_over and over and over_.

The feeling that had awoken her was still fizzling through her mind. There had been a great disturbance. Although she didn't know exactly what it was, it had Luke Skywalker all over it.

She smiled and knew exactly what to do. She sat on the deck of the ship and crossed her legs. Closing her eyes, she clung on to the receding feeling of Luke Skywalker and followed her adversary.

Yes, Mara Jade would fulfill her final mission. She would kill Luke Skywalker.

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Mara Jade landed facedown in rocky dirt. Her red hair fanned out on the ground around her and she scowled. From the smell of the dirt, she really couldn't say anything decisive about where she was.

Mara got to her feet, casually scanning her surroundings and checking for her weapon. The walls around her were some sort of brown concrete, like Tatooine. But the ground was much too wet for that desert wasteland.

Thinking of Tatooine reminded her of Skywalker. She scowled and left the alley. The people were very merry in the streets, and her clothing stood out horribly amidst the crowd of this planet, which made her feel uncomfortable.

As she looked around more, she noticed some things. There were no imperial guards. No Stormtroopers. She also sensed something kind of like the Emperor, but different…like Skywalker.

_Jedi_? She was sensing Jedi?

As she began pacing with the crowd, an elderly man nearly ran her over in the streets. "Excuse me, young Miss."

She glanced at the man as if he were insignificant. He didn't notice. "Are you lost, dear?"

Mara recoiled in disgust. Even this old man could tell she wasn't native. "Where am I?" She asked, wincing at the necessity.

The man smiled, his eyes wrinkling. "Naboo, Miss. And may I say, welcome."

She wanted to say, _No, you may not say that_. But she smiled pleasantly and thanked him.

Mara took a long breath and headed deeper into the city, something telling her Skywalker would be here soon. Maybe then, she could get her revenge.


	16. Danger

Disclaimer: I definitely don't own this. The movie characters belong to George Lucas. Mara belongs to the brilliant Timothy Zahn, another of my heroes. Haha…

Chapter 16- Danger

Luke and Anakin faced one another in a field. The field was picturesque with rolling green grass and sunshine rising in the east. Then blue blade met green in a brilliant flash.

They danced around one another throwing equally complex blows and parries. Anakin's concentration mirrored his hard blue eyes. Luke's equally blue eyes were also serious as he struggled to catch up to Anakin.

Anakin's pure connection with the force was overwhelming to Luke, who was still learning. Luke swung right; Anakin blocked hard and dove forward.

Luke held up his hands in defeat as Anakin held his lightsaber close enough to Luke's neck that he could feel the energy of the blue blade licking his skin.

Anakin smiled. "You're good."

Luke laughed as Anakin deactivated his lightsaber. "So are you. Really good," Luke complemented.

"And Obi-Wan says I'm not ready for the trials."

Luke winced. "Well, being a Jedi is about more than lightsaber technique."

Anakin rolled his eyes and waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Obi-Wan keeps reminding me."

Luke sighed and laughed. "I didn't mean to make you annoyed on your vacation."

Anakin ran his hand through his hair. "We were going to have a picnic today, right?"

"Correction, you and Padme are going to have a picnic. Leia and I are going into town to go shopping and check out the town."

"Luke," Anakin glared at him.

"What? I told you I wouldn't get in the way."

"Yeah, I know. But if you and Leia keep not so inconspicuously leaving us alone, Padme's going to freak out and realize…" Anakin stopped abruptly and looked down.

Luke sighed. "Exactly, Anakin."

Anakin turned with a flourish. "It's forbidden, Luke. This is ridiculous. It's not as if we could ever actually get married or something."

"This is out of character for you. I know you care for her greatly." Luke put a hand on the taller man's shoulder. "You have a great opportunity out here. You're all alone."

Anakin threw his hands up. "Alright. Picnic with Padme, it is."

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Luke and Leia walked side by side into the city with smiles on their faces. Naboo was a contagiously happy place.

Luke looked through some hand woven goods, complementing the woman on them. Her eyes widened when she saw his lightsaber hanging from his waist. "Sir, are you a Jedi?"

Luke smiled. "Yes, ma'am."

"He's a Jedi, Mama?" A small boy at her feet asked.

The woman looked down at her brown haired boy. "Yes, Nyk."

"Hello, sir Jedi. I want to be a Jedi, too." He was probably five and had piercing green eyes.

Luke smiled sadly at him. "You have to be born Force-sensitive, but you know, there are lots of other things that are just as fun. You could be a pilot…or a polititian…"

The boy grinned and wrinkled his face in concentration. Dirt whirled around Luke's head and ruffled his hair. He looked down at the boy in surprise. He glanced back at Nyk's mother.

The boy's mother frowned. "He was born Force-sensitive in the Outer Rim. We only moved to Naboo a month ago, and he was too old by then."

Luke nodded and kneeled in front of the boy. "Nyk, can you remember something for me?"

The boy nodded.

"When the Force tells you, come and find me on Coruscant. Alright? Can you remember that?"

Nyk frowned. "I don't know. I'll try."

Luke placed both hands on the boy's shoulders. "Here's your first Jedi lesson, there is no try. Only do."

Nyk nodded, blinking.

Luke stood. He nodded at the woman and walked away, troubled. Leia walked next to him. "That was nice. That boy has a goal beyond the streets now."

"Yes," Luke said, softly. "It will probably save his life, not being in the Jedi Academy."

Leia nodded grimly.

They walked in silence for a while, taking in the city life. Then, rather suddenly, Luke placed his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber. Leia glanced at him. "What's wrong?"

"Danger. I sense danger."

Then a blaster shot rang in the streets. Luke felt white-hot pain in his shoulder. "Ah!" He stumbled but stayed on his feet.

People screamed and began bumping into him as they ran. Leia grasped his uninjured arm and held him up. "Luke, are you alright!?"

He suppressed the pain with the Force and drew out his lightsaber. "Calm down, everyone! It's just Jedi business!"

Luke ran after where he sensed the danger. Disappearing around a corner was a flash of red hair. Luke ran full speed, the pain in his arm only a shadow. He drew his lightsaber out of his belt but didn't ignite it.

When he turned the corner, he was greeted by blaster shots. This time, he was ready. He gave life to the green blade and blocked all of the red laser shots.

His adversary was a beautiful red head, with eyes the color of Naboo's meadows. "Who are you? What do you want with me?"

The woman smiled a smile as beautiful as the poisonous butterflies of Ithor. "I want to kill you, Skywalker."

She sent three more blaster shots his way, which he blocked. "Why?" He said between blocks.

"I have a score to settle with you."

Luke approached her, and she attempted to kick his blade out of his hand. He cut her blaster clean in half. Then she knocked his feet out from under him and his lightsaber clattered down the ally.

He jumped to his feet, just in time to block a punch. "Who are you?"

She dodged a kick and breathlessly sent a hand his way. "Mara Jade."

Luke sensed a hint of the Force in each of her movements, not a lot, but enough to give her a tactical advantage in addition to professional hand-to-hand combat skills.

"Back away and I won't shoot." Leia's voice stopped the woman's fighting cold.

Luke tried to grasp Mara's hands, but she slipped away.

Her eyes, the color of his lightsaber, met his blue ones. "We'll meet again."

Then she disappeared, and Luke fell to his knees. Leia knelt next to him. "Are you alright?"

Luke nodded. "Nothing a healing trance won't fix."

Leia helped him to his feet and gave him his lightsaber.

"This isn't good, Leia."

She raised her eyebrows. "Did she just have a vendetta against Jedi or something?"

"No," Luke said, firmly.

"Are you sure?"

Luke nodded and held his shoulder painfully. "She called me Skywalker."


	17. Like Brothers and Sisters

A/N: Sorry, my life has gotten insanely complicated lately, but I hope it will make my writing better…you know, life experience and whatnot…

Chapter 17: Like Brothers and Sisters

Leia followed a few paces behind Luke, close enough if he needed her. But he was not very badly injured.

However, his mind was in a turmoil. Leia could vaguely sense confusion, frustration, and most of all cold fear. She hated it when Luke was uncertain. Luke was her beacon of hope, the boon of the new republic. Luke was a Jedi Knight; he was not supposed to fear.

"I'm still human," Luke said, not agitated, simply stating a fact. "I fear."

"Of course," Leia said, bristling at his reading her. "Sometimes I just forget, we all do." She placed a comforting hand on his uninjured arm. "I'm sorry."

Luke slowed his pace to match hers. "I'm worried."

"I gathered as much," Leia frowned. "How's your arm?"

Luke looked at his arm as if he even forgot it was injured. "My arm's fine. I'm worried about that woman, that Mara Jade."

Leia watched the fear in Luke's eyes. "Could she have been mistaking you for Anakin?"

Luke tilted his head. "I have thought about that possibility. But, we don't look too much alike.

"And Mara showed a great aptitude for fighting skills, professional fighting skills. If she is an assassin she would know the obvious reasons I could not be Anakin. I don't have the padawan braid. I'm shorter. My lightsaber is green. An assassin with her fighting abilities would be better than that.

"No, Mara knew that I was Luke Skywalker. The question is where is she from? How did she get here? And most of all…what have I done to her?"

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As the twins approached the place they were all staying, Luke frowned. "Something is different."

"What?" Leia asked, not sensitive enough to feel it.

"I think something has happened between them." Luke had a slight smile on his face, but his voice was anxious.

"What's wrong?"

Luke shook his head. "He's one step closer to becoming Darth Vader."

"Should we…leave them alone?" Leia cocked an eyebrow.

Luke smiled awkwardly. "No, Anakin already sensed us."

"Do you know how you're going to explain your arm?" Leia asked, looking at the charred black circle in his sandy brown tunic.

Anakin opened the door then. His eyes were scared and his expression uncertain.

"Are you alright, Anakin?" Luke asked.

He looked at Luke. "I don't know…I—" He saw Luke's arm. "What happened?"

Luke blocked his mind tight. "A man tried to steal from this nice woman. I wasn't quick enough to block the shot."

Perhaps the lie was obvious. Luke would have sensed the shot coming from a mind as simple as a pickpocket. To add to that, Anakin was probably suspicious of why Luke shut off his mind. However, Anakin was too wrapped up in whatever transpired between he and Padme that he let the matter drop.

Anakin instead gave Luke a face of despair. He glanced to Leia, and back to Luke, deciding it didn't matter if Leia knew.

"I kissed her. I-I…kissed Padme."

Luke could feel Leia's curiosity. He didn't say anything to Anakin, although Anakin was obviously waiting for a reaction. Anakin looked to Leia for feedback.

"I think I'm going to go talk to Padme," Leia offered and scurried off.

Anakin looked after her with a sigh. Luke smiled. "Congratulations."

Anakin groaned. "Padme said, 'I shouldn't' have done that.'"

Luke gave Anakin a sad smile. Of course, Luke knew it would work out in the end.

Anakin leaned against the railing, staring into the horizon. "I think I love her. But there are so many problems and complications and…"

Luke leaned next to him, feeling the turmoil in Anakin while looking at the serenity of Naboo. The poor city would probably fall to imperial hands quickly.

"Did you know the Chancellor's from here?" Anakin asked, offhandedly, his mind still clearly on Padme.

As before, mention of the Chancellor sent Luke's blood boiling. Anakin raised his eyebrows. "What's wrong with the Chancellor, Luke?"

Luke's chest was filled with sadness and anger. He allowed himself to let the sad and angry feelings recede. He would have to deal with those emotions at a more apt time. "Just some…bad blood."

"What happened?" Anakin was acutely interested, despite his preoccupation with the senator.

"He did my family some wrongs in the past." Luke's features darkened.

Anakin raised his eyebrows in amusement. "It's weird hearing a Jedi talk about family. For most of them, the Jedi are their family. Well, actually, for all of them, save you and me."

"Yes, I know. Anakin, you and I are very similar." The thought disturbed Luke greatly. Anakin noted the haunted expression on his face, but chose to ignore it.

Anakin turned away from the railing and sat with his back against it. "What do I do about Padme?"

Luke sat next to him. "Are you going to continue making your, um, affection known?"

"I don't think I have a choice." Anakin looked pathetic, his eyes honest and youthful. "Every time I look at her, her perfection stops me in my tracks.

"I can't think of anything but her when she's in the room. When I'm not with her, I worry for her safety. Even now I can't help but feel for her emotions, just to be sure she's okay."

Luke smiled inwardly. He enjoyed knowing that his father was caring and loving. "Then you've made your choice."

"If I can convince her to…" Anakin shook his head. "It will be hard. It would be a secret between Padme, Leia, you, and I."

"Anakin," Luke sighed. "It already is."

Anakin sighed and let his head fall into the railing.

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Leia could feel Padme's emotions before she entered the room. With Leia's limited Force sensitivity, that was saying something.

"Padme?"

The woman looked distraught, her carefully structured façade of strength starting to crumble.

"This was a big mistake! Me and Ani together here, alone!" Padme said urgently.

"You aren't alone," Leia reminded.

"We might as well be, if you and Luke keep conveniently leaving us alone!" Padme's voice was accusatory.

The debater in Leia poised to the challenge. "You never stopped us from leaving you alone. You could have told me if you didn't want to be alone with Anakin. I think you liked it. I think you liked being alone with Anakin. And I think you like Anakin."

"Of course I like Anakin, he's my protector. I'm grateful for his service." Padme's face was serious.

"A very well calculated answer, Senator." Leia raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you kissed him?"

Padme's eyes widened. "I did not kiss him. He kissed me!"

"You didn't kiss him back?" Leia asked, innocently.

Padme visually flinched, but her defenses were weakening. Leia had her.

"How could you not?" Leia asked. "He adores you. He's brave and kind…"

At that moment, Leia realized she was describing Darth Vader. The man who killed everyone…Her speech to Padme died on her lips.

Padme's senatorial face was gone. Instead while still looking dignified, her eyes were pleading. "I admit…I have…feelings for him…I…" Some of the senator came back to her eyes. "It would never work. He a Jedi and me a politician…there would be lies and hiding."

Leia had to admit, if she were truly living in this time, just Padme's friend, she would advise Padme to forget him, focus on her career. It would be too hard to keep up a relationship with a Jedi Knight, especially in these politically turbulent times.

However, this couple was meant to happen. She knew that. The future depended on Luke's and even her own existence.

"Follow your heart. You can't be happy if you don't follow your heart. You can't be a political machine all the time. You need people to love and to love you."

Padme sank to her bed. "You sound like Bail Organa."

Leia's heart wrenched. But then she recalled a memory…

_Leia was small, her hair in two braids down her back. She was holding Bail Organa's hand, walking down a Rebel starship's corridors. They were heading toward their quarters._

_They were talking politics, as usual. The topic of conversation this time: Palpatine's rise to power._

_"Why did the senators vote for Palpatine to be Chancellor?" Leia asked, politically aware at 9 years old._

_"The Queen of Naboo," Bail started, his eyes nervous for a reason little Leia could not fathom, "she trusted the Palpatine. She gave Chancellor Valorum a vote of no confidence. Her statesman, Palpatine, took the chancellorship after that."_

_Leia's face soured. She had no liking for the man. "The Queen of Naboo must have never been taught politics if she put faith in such a man, right, father?"_

_Bail's face hardened in an emotion Leia __could understand, even at nine. Pain. "Quite the opposite, Leia. The Queen of Naboo, Padme Amidala, was a masterful politician. She made mistakes that even the most adept politician would have made. Despite her mistakes, she did what she believed was best for the whole of the Republic. She loved her people. She loved politics. She was the best politician, and one of the best friends I have ever had."_

_"She died? In the clone wars? Was she assassinated?" Leia asked, the thought of death not even phasing her. She grew up in war time._

_"No, she died in childbirth. She was so into her work all the time; I was shocked to find out that she had a husband. She'd kept it such a secret." At that point, Bail no longer looked like her was talking to his daughter. He was reliving the past._

_Snapping back to reality, the old Senator squeezed Leia's hand. "But no matter my long gone friends, how about some frozen treats before bed?"_

_"Ooh!" All thoughts of the dead senator left her mind. "Can I have the red kind?"_

The grown up Leia staggered under the weight of the past…or the future. Leia made sure the grim feeling in her mind didn't show on her face.

"I think you can keep the secret, Padme."


End file.
